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One of the most recent issues of BMJ (BMJ 2006;332:833-836) reported that the two types of hypertension can be distinguished by measuring plasma renin.
Hypertension in young white people seems to be high renin (type 1) hypertension and best responds to treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and b blockers (AB drugs). Hypertension in young black people, however, seems to be low renin (type 2) hypertension and responds better to calcium channel blockers and diuretics (CD drugs).