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Last Reviewed:
June 5, 2007
Content Source:
Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities (OMHD) |
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Eliminate Disparities
in Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
What is the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in the United States?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), primarily heart disease and
stroke, causes more deaths in Americans of both genders and all racial and
ethnic groups than any other disease.1
It is also one of the leading
causes of disability in the United States. CVD costs an
estimated $300 billion annually as measured in health care expenditures,
medications, and lost productivity due to disability and death.2
Examples of
Important Disparities
Overall, minority and low-income populations have a disproportionate
burden of death and disability from CVD. African Americans have the
highest rate of high blood pressure of all groups and
tend to develop it younger than others.3 Studies have shown that socioeconomic status, reflected in income and
education, underlie a substantial portion, but not all, of the higher rate of
heart disease in minority populations.4
What is the Goal?
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reduce deaths from heart disease among African Americans
by 30 percent |
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reduce deaths from strokes among African Americans by 47
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Public health agencies aim to reduce heart disease deaths among
certain American Indian tribes, selected Asian American ethnic
populations, and Hispanic or Latino subgroups having death rates higher than the
national average.
Promising Strategies
Modifying risk factors offers the greatest potential for reducing CVD
morbidity, disability, and mortality: high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
smoking tobacco, excessive body weight, and physical inactivity. Prevention
programs have been set up in states with high rates of CVD to implement
policy and environmental strategies to increase levels of physical activity,
availability of heart-healthy foods, and to decrease rates of smoking among
minority populations. Changes have been advocated in schools, worksites,
and other
community-based organizations, and have been publicized by government and the
media.
What can Healthcare Providers do to Help Reduce the Burden of
CVD?
Healthcare providers should act as their patients' primary information
source and view each patient’s routine office visits as an opportunity to screen
for risk factors associated with CVD. Patients who smoke,
are excessively overweight, are physically inactive, have high blood pressure,
or have a high cholesterol level should be advised at each visit that they are
at risk for heart disease, disability, or death and offered the following
preventative and clinical services:
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smoking cessation classes |
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medications |
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nutrition classes and diets |
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exercise programs |
What can Individuals do to Decrease Their Risk of Developing
CVD?
The most effective steps all people can take to prevent
CVD and
stroke are as follows:
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Stop smoking |
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Eat a healthy diet, including five or more servings of
fruits and vegetables a day |
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Exercise regularly, such as brisk walking at least 30
minutes on five or more days of the week |
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Reduce stress |
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Control high blood pressure |
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Control cholesterol |
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Control your weight |
People known to be at risk of CVD should see a physician regularly.
For more
information about Cardiovascular Disease:
Sources:
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