Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for African Americans and Hispanic Americans.¹ Studies have shown there are various factors which may attribute to the high rate of cardiovascular diseases among minority population. The risk of cardiovascular disease is higher in African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and some Asian Americans. This increased risk is partly due to higher rates of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes in these populations.²

Black patients with cardiovascular disease in particular have increased morbidity and mortality as compared with white patients. For example, a black man between 45 and 65 years old is 4 times more likely to have a stroke than his white counterpart.³ African American women who are overweight and have high blood pressure are at greater risk than any other group for developing heart failure.⁴ African Americans have a high incidence of hypertension, a leading risk factor for heart disease.

Facts to consider:

• Men and blacks had more premature death due to cardiovascular disease, compared with women and whites, as measured by years of potential life lost before age 75.⁵
• According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, black women have the highest prevalence of obesity at more than 47 percent, regardless of education level.⁵
• Deaths due to heart disease are about two-thirds higher among black women than among white women.⁶
• Ethnic minorities in the United States tend to receive less effective treatment for cardiovascular problems than whites, according to several studies published in an issue of the journal Circulation that primarily focuses on disparities in cardiac care.⁷

¹ Continuing Medical Education
http://www.medinfosource.com/resource/healthstats.html

² The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/
docs/0200/0258.asp?index=4506

³ American Heart Association
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/111/10/e120

⁴ Cable News Network
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/women/9911/01/black.heart/

⁵ Minorities, Poor, Uneducated Bear the Burden of Cardiovascular Health Disparities
http://www.emaxhealth.com/80/1779.html

⁶ Research on Cardiovascular Disease in Women
http://www.ahcpr.gov/research/womheart.htm

⁷ The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/
rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=31549