Women and Heart Disease > Special Issues

• African-American women have a higher prevalence of CVD than other population groups.²
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death among African-American women.⁸⁷
• A comparison of African-American and white women enrolled in the HERS* trial revealed that African-American women⁸⁹:
  - Were more likely to have poor lipid and blood pressure control.
  - Had a 2-fold greater risk of coronary death and nonfatal MI.
  - Had a 60% greater risk of CHD events after adjustment for various factors.
  - Less often received appropriate preventive therapy and adequate risk-factor control, despite their greater CHD risk.
  

Hispanic Women

• Mexican-American women have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors than white women of comparable socioeconomic status.²
• In 2001, the rate of premature death due to heart disease was higher for Hispanics than for non-Hispanics (23.5% vs. 16.5%, respectively).²
• Mexican Americans have a lower rate of blood pressure control than whites.²
• Hispanic adults were less likely than white or African-American adults to engage in at least some leisure-time physical activity.²
• Mexican-American preschool children, children aged 6 to 11, and adolescents are more likely to be overweight than their white or African-American counterparts.²
• Hispanics are twice as likely as whites of similar age to have diabetes.²

Diabetes

Obesity

Metabolic Syndrome

Race/Ethnicity

Defining Risk in Women

Exercise Capacity in Women

C-Reactive Protein

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Fat Distribution and Heart Disease in Women

Fitness Levels

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Aging