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Hypertension Initiative goal to reduce renal diseases  Cardiovascular and renal diseases cost $9 billion a year in South Carolina.  The reason: South Carolina leads the nation for stroke mortality and number two for overall cardiovascular disease mortality. MUSC's Cardiovascular Institute for Research and Prevention and one of its component programs, the Hypertension Initiative, have been developed in response to the tremendous burden of heart and vascular diseases in the state.  The main goal of the Hypertension Initiative is to reduce cardiovascular and end-stage renal disease by improving high blood pressure control rates in South Carolina from 25 percent to 50 percent.  To achieve this objective, the initiative plans to train local hypertension experts throughout the state who will provide education on high blood pressure to their medical colleagues, receive referrals of patients with treatment resistant hypertension, and track hypertension control rates in their community. AstraZeneca provided start-up funds for the Hypertension Initiative. Together with other partners from the pharmaceutical industry, managed care, and the medical community, the Hypertension Initiative is assembling the resources required to train hypertension experts and monitor blood pressure control rates.  Brent Egan, M.D., professor of pharmacology and medicine, is the interim medical director. The executive director for the Hypertension Initiative is Melanie Giese, and the administrative assistant is Kim Edwards.  For information regarding the Hypertension Initiative, call 792-1715 or 792-6340.