Black women are urged to take care of their heart health, as we wrap up Black History Month and Heart Health Month in February, and begin Women’s Month in March.
Black communities are disproportionately susceptible to heart failure due to several factors. Dr. Heather M. Johnson, Preventative Cardiologist at Baptist Health’s Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute and the Boca Raton Regional Hospital, explained that both diabetes and hypertension are more prevalent in the Black community, and both conditions increase the risk factor of developing heart failure and strokes.
Dr. Johnson said that environmental and social disadvantages may also have effects on long-term heart health. Difficulty in accessing safe areas to exercise, lacking access to healthy dietary options, or even diminished educational possibilities all play a factor in the statistically worse rates of heart disease among Black people in America.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, around 47% of Black adults have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease compared to 36% of their white counterparts.
“Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women. It is responsible for more deaths combined than cancer in the United States,” Dr. Johnson noted. Of particular risk, she continued, are Black women, who are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. A woman who is diagnosed with asthma or clinical anxiety is less likely to have a heart health evaluation as a result. “Deaths related to heart disease are climbing especially in women under the age of 65, a major shift in the past few years,” the doctor revealed.
Outside of family history and certain societal disadvantages, we have a surprising degree of control over the risk factors leading to heart disease, namely diet and exercise. For example, it is important to keep a low sodium diet. Excess salt can increase blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease. Regular physical activity, ideally daily, is also an important step in preventing adverse heart conditions.
Dr. Johnson also noted that there are proactive tests that medical professionals use to form an accurate prediction of your susceptibility to heart diseases, one of which is the Calcium Scan. This scan produces a score, which indicates plaque build-up in the arteries – a possible predictor of future heart complications. Also, many women get an annual mammogram to screen for breast cancer, but a mammogram can also reveal possible Breast Artery Calcifications (BAC). BAC is a fairly new development and it is being pushed heavily by the American Heart Association as an indicator of potential heart disease.
As we begin Women’s Month, on the heels of Heart Health Month, this is a reminder to go beyond a general annual exam and request a heart health evaluation at some point in the year. Many general practitioners, and even specialists, are well-informed about the various heart complications, and can facilitate testing and examinations as other common maladies can increase the risk of heart disease.
