Cardiac health should be at the heart of care

This trend stems in part from the fact that African-American men and women are more susceptible than other racial and ethnic groups to a number of health conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. African Americans can take several small...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Philadelphia tribune (1884) Vol. 133; no. 32
Main Author Maryland, Patricia
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia, Pa Philadelphia Tribune 07.03.2017
Subjects
African Americans
Cardiovascular disease
Community
Disease prevention
Heart failure
Hypertension
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Summary:This trend stems in part from the fact that African-American men and women are more susceptible than other racial and ethnic groups to a number of health conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. African Americans can take several small steps to manage these conditions and reduce their likelihood of experiencing cardiovascular problems, including adopting a healthy diet, exercising regularly and avoiding smoking. Improving access to preventive cardiovascular care is our chief priority in the fight for African-American heart health. As epidemiologists continue to study whether African Americans might carry a gene that makes us more prone to heart problems, ensuring that our family, friends and neighbors take advantage of regular preventive screenings is critically important to identify their risk as early as possible. The fact remains that African Americans are less likely to get screened for high cholesterol or have their blood pressure under control - despite being 40 percent more likely to have heart-threatening conditions such as hypertension, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
ISSN:0746-956X