Page 6 - 2020 LOE Newsletter Febraury_Neat

AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HEART DISEASE

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans, but certain minority groups face a
greater risk than others. Deaths from heart disease are higher in black Americans than in white
Americans and other ethnic groups, and heart disease develops at a younger age in African
Americans. Nearly 48% of African American women and 44% of African American men have
some form of heart disease. Research has found that even among the growing middle- and up-
per-class black community, the rate of heart disease among black Americans is still greater than
in white Americans who have a comparable socioeconomic status. The most common condi-
tions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke among black Americans are high blood
pressure, obesity and diabetes.

High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure measures the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. High
blood pressure means your heart is pumping harder than it should. High blood pressure puts
your arteries under constant stress and speeds up arteriosclerosis, a condition that makes your
arteries get harder, narrower, and clogged with fatty plaque. Also known as hypertension, high
blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The prevalence of high blood
pressure in African Americans is the highest in the world. Not only is high blood pressure more
severe in blacks than whites, it also develops earlier in life. High blood pressure is often re-
ferred to as the silent killer, as the heart can become permanently damaged before any symp-
toms are apparent. Fortunately, high blood pressure can be easily detected and controlled
through medications, a healthy diet and exercise.
Obesity
The more you weigh, the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues.
As the volume of blood circulated through your blood vessels increases, so does the pressure
on your artery walls. African Americans are disproportionately affected by obesity. Among non-
Hispanic blacks age 20 and older, 63% of men and 77% of women are overweight or obese.
Among African American children aged 2 to 19 years old, 20% are obese.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition associated with abnormally high levels of sugar (glucose) in the
blood. Diabetes also is an important factor in accelerating the hardening and narrowing of the
arteries (atherosclerosis), which leads to strokes, coronary heart disease, and other large blood
vessel diseases. African Americans are more likely to have diabetes than whites. Diabetes is
treatable and preventable with a heart healthy diet and exercise.
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