Heart Disease is the Leading Cause of Death for African Americans

Heart disease is the #1 cause of death for African Americans – and the numbers are rising. Dr. Abiodun Ishola, a cardiologist specializing in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology, at the Florence Wormald Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Elizabeth provides details and explains when you should see a doctor.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Dr. Ishola shares that African Americans have specific risk factors for developing heart disease. Many of these are related to social determinants of health, or how people’s socioeconomic situation affects their health. “Locations where, sadly, we have a lot of African Americans with lower financial status, we usually see a correlation with poor diet due to issues such as food deserts,” explains Dr. Ishola.

Food Deserts

Food deserts occur when there is a lack of affordable, fresh and healthy foods in a neighborhood. People in lower-income areas may struggle with transportation to reach grocery stores with more affordable and fresh foods. In these situations, people are often left to rely on eating less healthy, packaged foods from corner stores instead of fresh produce from grocery stores, for example. “Many people in these communities eat a high-sugar, high-fat diet,” says Dr. Ishola.

Packaged convenience foods are also often high in sodium (salt). African Americans have a higher salt sensitivity – and experts haven’t pinpointed why. A higher salt sensitivity can worsen hypertension (high blood pressure), leading to heart disease.

Lack of Physical Activity and Increased Stress

People with lower income may also lack the time, space or resources to participate in regular physical activity. They often work long hours, sometimes at multiple jobs, and have to coordinate childcare. What’s more, their neighborhoods may be stressful to live in due to poverty and violence. Chronic stress can raise your risk for hypertension, which can lead to heart disease.

Barriers to Care for Heart Disease

Like any serious health condition, the key to successful treatment is early detection and effective management. “We know that when people don’t have good access to healthcare services like blood pressure screenings, the diagnosis never occurs early enough,” says Dr. Ishola.

Beyond working to make screening resources available to all populations equally, another key aspect of reducing barriers to care is making sure that everyone knows about available screening services. “People in certain neighborhoods may have opportunities they don’t know about,” explains Dr. Ishola. “They don’t know what’s available regarding hospital- and community-based programs.” So, it’s not always just the lack of access to healthcare but also the lack of awareness about what’s available.

When to See a Doctor

You should go to the nearest Emergency Department right away if you experience any of these emergency symptoms:

• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Dizziness or fainting.
• Shortness of breath.
• Unusually fast or slow heart rate.

You should make an appointment to see your primary care doctor if you experience any of the following:

• Leg pain.
• Swelling in your legs.
• Ulcers due to blood vessel disease.

Depending on their findings, your primary care provider may refer you to a cardiologist (heart doctor). They may especially suggest that you see a cardiologist if you also have any of the following:

• Chronic kidney disease.
• Diabetes.
• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol.
• History of smoking.
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD).
• Strong family history of early heart disease or heart-related death.

Get the Care You Need

Take charge of your health and learn what you can do to reduce your risk for heart disease. Start by speaking with your St. Elizabeth Physicians primary care provider.