African Americans should be concerned about heart disease. Combined, heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of death for African Americans, says Laxmi Mehta, MD, clinical director of Ohio State’s Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program.
A few facts to consider:
• African Americans lead in 24.5 percent of heart disease related deaths and complications.
• One in two African American women will develop heart disease in their lifetime.
• A woman with diabetes is at least three times more likely to have a heart attack.
• High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease.
• About half of Americans (49 percent) have at least one of these three risk factors.
Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:
• Diabetes
• Obesity and being overweight
• Poor diet
• Physical inactivity
• Excessive alcohol use
But, there’s a lot you can do to prevent heart disease. Lifestyle changes are at the top of the list. These include quitting smoking and being more active – exercising at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
You also need to reduce the of amount of fats, salt and sugar in your diet. Meeting with your physician each year for a blood pressure check and periodic screening for high cholesterol are other necessary steps to take. If you have heart disease, you should continue to take your medications. And, if you have a family history of cardiovascular disease or think you may be at risk, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider for a check-up.
“It is important for people to be active in their own health care and be informed consumers”, Dr. Mehta adds.
To learn more about heart disease prevention, visit: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/heart/Pages/index.aspx.
