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American Heart Month

American Heart Month is observed each February. It was established by Congress in 1963 and is recognized annually by a presidential proclamation. The American Heart Association leads the primary public awareness campaign, and the CDC coordinates communications resources for providers and health departments.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black Americans, and the gap compared to other groups is significant. The age-adjusted cardiovascular disease mortality rate for Black Americans is 301.0 per 100,000, compared to 223.0 for the total population, a 35% higher rate. Black Americans ages 18 to 49 are twice as likely to die from heart disease as white adults in the same age range. Nearly 60% of Black adults 20 and older have some form of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and hypertension.

Hypertension is the engine of much of this disparity. Black Americans develop high blood pressure at younger ages, at higher rates, and with worse outcomes than any other group in the country. The Office of Minority Health data shows that 56.8% of Black men and 61.0% of Black women 20 and older have hypertension. Despite those high prevalence rates, only 13.2% of Black Americans with hypertension have their blood pressure adequately controlled, compared to 16.1% of all Americans with hypertension.

The combination of earlier onset, higher prevalence, and worse control is what drives Black Americans toward catastrophic cardiovascular events at younger ages. Stroke and heart failure are not diseases of old age when hypertension goes untreated from the 30s onward.

The data, plainly

What you can do this month

For individuals: - Know your numbers: blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and BMI. Ask your provider for these at your next appointment if you do not have them. - If your blood pressure is above 130/80, that is Stage 1 hypertension under current AHA guidelines. Talk to your provider about whether medication is appropriate, rather than waiting. - Learn Hands-Only CPR. The American Heart Association's training takes about 20 minutes, and bystander CPR more than doubles survival odds for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. - Reduce sodium intake. The average American consumes well above the AHA's recommended 2,300 mg per day. Processed foods and restaurant meals are the primary sources, not table salt. - If you smoke, ask your provider about cessation medications. Nicotine replacement alone, combined with a quit plan, doubles quit rates.

For providers: - Target-dose antihypertensives to guideline blood pressure goals, not just partial improvement. Many patients with uncontrolled hypertension are on medication but not at goal dose. - The AHA's Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Research offers resources on cardiovascular equity and clinical trial diversity.

Resources

Sources

  1. Office of Minority Health, HHS: Heart Disease and Black/African Americans
  2. CDC NCHS FastStats: Health of Black or African American Population
  3. American Heart Association Newsroom: Cardiovascular health risks continue to grow within Black communities
  4. CDC: American Heart Month Communications Toolkit

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