Heart Disease and African Americans

African American adults are less likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease, however they are more likely to die from heart disease. Although African American adults are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure, they are 10% less likely than their non-Hispanic White counterparts to have their blood pressure under control.

In 2006, African American men were 30% more likely to die from heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.
African Americans were 1.5 times as likely as non-Hispanic whites to have high blood pressure.
African American women were 1.7 times as likely as non-Hispanic white women to be obese.

At a glance – Diagnosed Cases of Coronary Heart Disease:

**Age-adjusted percentages of coronary heart disease among persons 18 years of age and over, 2007**
Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
5.9	6.2	1.0

Source: CDC 2009. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2007. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_240.pdf[PDF | 8.43MB]

At a glance – Death Rate:

**Age-Adjusted Heart Disease Death Rates per 100,000 (2006)**
	African American	Non-Hispanic White	African American/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	326.5	250.0	1.3
Women	216.1	160.9	1.3
Total	262.3	200.3	1.3

Source: CDC, 2009. National Vital Statistic Report. Vol. 57, Num 14 Table 17.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_14.pdf[PDF | 1.7MB]

At a Glance – Risk Factors:

There are several risk factors related to heart disease. Some of these risk factors are:

Obesity and Overweight – See Obesity and African Americans

Hypertension

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who have high blood pressure, 2003-2006. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)**
	Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	26.5	17.4	1.5
Women	23.9	15.9	1.5

Source: CDC 2009. Health United States, 2008. Table 71.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf [PDF | 8.2MB]

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who have high blood pressure, 2007. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)**
African Americans	Non-Hispanic White	African Americans /Non-Hispanic White Ratio
32.0	22.5	1.4

Source: CDC 2009. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2007. Table 2.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_240.pdf[PDF | 8.43]

**Percent of adults age 18 and over with hypertension whose blood pressure is under control, 2003-2006**
Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
34.3	37.5	0.9

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 4_1_2.1
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_1_2-1.htm

High Cholesterol

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who have high cholesterol, 2003-2006.**
	African American	Non-Hispanic White	African American/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	10.9	15.5	0.7
Women	13.3	18.0	0.7

Source: CDC 2009. Health United States, 2008. Table 72.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf [PDF | 8.2MB]

Cigarette Smoking

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are current cigarette smokers, 2005-2007.**
	Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black/Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men	25.5	24.1	1.1
Women	17.1	20.7	0.8

Source: CDC, 2009. Health United States, 2008. Table 65.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus08.pdf [PDF | 8.2MB]

**Percentage of current smokers age 18 and over with a checkup who reported receiving advice to quit smoking, 2005**
	Non-Hispanic Black	Non-Hispanic White	Non-Hispanic Black/Non- Hispanic White Ratio
Men	59.5	61.9	1.0
Women	64.1	69.2	0.9
Total	61.9	65.8	0.9

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Quality Report. Table 4_1_4.2b.
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_1_4-2b.htm

**Percentage of heart attack patients given smoking cessation counseling while hospitalized, 2006**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
95.0	96.9	1.0

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 4_2_7.1
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_2_7-1.htm

At a Glance – Treatment:

Aspirin Therapy

**Percent of heart attack patients administered aspirin within 24 hours of admission, 2006**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
95.8	96.6	1.0

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 4_2_2.1
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_2_2-1.htm

**Percent of heart attack patients with aspirin prescribed at discharge, 2006**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
95.2	96.8	1.0

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 4_2_3.1
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_2_3-1.htm

Beta Blockers

**Percent of heart attack patients administered beta blocker within 24 hours of admission, 2006**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
93.0	93.4	1.0

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 4_2_4.1
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_2_4-1.htm

**Percent of heart attack patients with beta blocker prescribed at discharge, 2006**
African Americans	White	African Americans/ White Ratio
95.4	96.3	1.0

Source: 2008 National Healthcare Disparities Report. Table 4_2_5.1
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/qrdr08/4_heartdiseases/T4_2_5-1.htm

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Content Last Modified: 12/15/2009 9:37:00 AM