Hyder and Schoenl Present at American Heart Association Conference

Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership students Syed Hyder and Samantha Schoenl both presented posters at the American Heart Association Hypertension Scientific Sessions in San Diego on September 7th, 2022.

The duo, both fourth-year students, presented the posters “The Geographic Variations in Hypertension Medication Adherence” and “Disparities in Hypertension Medication Adherence Across Sexual Orientations”. The papers were co-authored Dr. Onoriode Kesiena, PGY-3 Internal Medicine Resident at Piedmont Athens Regional.

“The Geographic Variations in Hypertension Medication Adherence” discovered that people who live in large urban areas may be less likely to take prescribed medications for high blood pressure and less likely to have a primary care provider than those living in smaller rural communities.

“You might think people living in very rural areas, because they have less access to care and a lack of public transportation, would have lower adherence rates,” said lead researcher Schoenl. “And in urban environments, you’d think having more transportation options would help, but that’s not what the data showed.”

“Disparities in Hypertension Medication Adherence Across Sexual Orientations” found that gay and bisexual men and women appear less likely to take prescribed medications for high blood pressure than their straight peers. The gap has been widening in recent years.

“We expected the gap to be narrowing, “said Hyder. “We are moving in the right direction, but the gap seems to be widening. The next step is to look at why.”

Hyder is from Lawrenceville, is applying for an internal medicine residency and wants to become an adult congenital cardiologist.

Schoenl grew up in Atlanta and is applying for a combined pediatric/medicine residency with the goal of becoming an adult congenital cardiologist.

The published abstracts to these studies can be found in the Hypertension Journal: https://doi.org/10.1161/hyp.79.suppl_1.P022 and https://doi.org/10.1161/hyp.79.suppl_1.P214

Read more about their research:

-Gay, bisexual adults may be less likely to take needed high blood pressure medication

-Where you live may impact how likely you are to take your blood pressure meds