Black women are disproportionately impacted by heart disease, data shows.CANVA
Heart disease is largely preventable, experts say. Still, it’s the number one killer of Black women who sometimes lack access to health care and whose symptoms are often ignored.
“The stark reality is more women die from heart disease than any other cause,” said Dr. Yanting Wang, a cardiologist and director of the Women’s Heart and Cardio-Obstetrics Program at Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine at Rutgers University. “When we look closer into the racial disparities, Black women are disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease.”
As of 2022, statewide, Black people died of heart disease at a rate of 211.3 per 100,000 population compared to white people, who died at a rate of 172.7, data from the state Department of Health showed. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nationally, from 2017 to 2018, Black women were 50% more likely to have high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease than their white counterparts.
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Heart disease can include a variety of conditions, like coronary artery disease, which occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Linda Blount, president of the Atlanta-based Black Women’s Health Imperative, which aims to improve the health of Black women and girls, said the symptoms of heart disease include feeling faint, fatigued, having shortness of breath, indigestion and nausea.
Wang said about 80% of what causes heart disease are lifestyle factors, and the other 20% is due to genetics and aging.
Historically, doctors viewed heart disease as a men’s disease and neglected to screen women for it, Wang said.
“We didn’t think about them. We didn’t treat them. We didn’t screen them. And that’s what really started the disparity for women in general,” she said.
It wasn’t until Dr. Bernadine Healy, a cardiologist and the first woman to lead the National Health Institute, took charge of the federal medical research agency that the NIH began studying women’s heart health, Wang said. She said researchers then found that heart disease presents differently in women than in men, and the American Heart Association launched a public health campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women in 2004.
Experts say Black women are more likely to be affected by heart disease compared to their white counterparts because they often have pre-existing conditions that disproportionately affect Black people or are subjected to systemic racism.
“So much of what we see in terms of increased mortality for women is just unnecessary,” Blount said.
Black women are more likely to be obese, so they are more likely to have “high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, those things that are predictive for heart disease,” Blount said. “Black women are still slightly underinsured as compared to white women.”
And just the lived experience of being Black can contribute to heart disease, Blount said.
Research has shown that racism elevates stress levels and can put Black women at higher risk of having heart disease, she said.
When they do try to seek help for heart problems, they are “much less likely to be taken seriously if they’re talking about the symptoms or even chest pain,” Blount said. “We’ve got considerable research that shows that Black women are likely to be ignored.”
But women can take the following steps to advocate for themselves if they are concerned they are having a heart attack, Blount said.
If you are concerned that you are having a heart attack, Blount said to go to the emergency department immediately. If you have a history of heart disease in your family, tell the doctor. Use the following phrases to ensure you get immediate attention, “I have shortness of breath because I can’t take a full breath” and “I have crushing pain; it feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest.”
Wang added that heart disease is preventable. She advises people to:
- Invest in a blood pressure cuff to track your numbers. If the monitor reads above 120/80, address this with your doctor.
- Exercise
- Meditate to reduce stress.
- Eat mostly vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Try to avoid food that is overly salted or processed.
- Minimize meat consumption to about twice a week.
Stories by Amira Sweilem
Amira Sweilem may be reached at asweilem@njadvancemedia.com.
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