Heart disease and diabetes kill nearly 50,000 African-American women annually.

Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 killer in women, and stroke disproportionately affects African Americans. Diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, physical inactivity, obesity, and a family history of heart disease are all greatly prevalent among African Americans and are major risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

African American women have almost two times the risk of stroke than Caucasians, and are more likely to die at an earlier age when compared to women of other ethnicities.

How do I know if I’m having a heart attack?

Symptoms in Women

1. Chest pain, but not always
2. Pain or pressure in the lower chest or upper abdomen
3. Jaw, neck or upper back pain
4. Nausea or vomiting
5. Shortness of breath
6. Fainting
7. Indigestion
8. Extreme fatigue

Symptoms in Men

1. Squeezing chest pressure or pain
2. Jaw, neck or back pain
3. Nausea or vomiting
4. Shortness of breath

What needs to change:

• More providers of color to educate
• Better access to full and quality care
• A multi-faceted program that takes into consideration cultural differences (going to a dietician that teaches counting calories and kale aint it)

Diabetes: Classified by the American Diabetes Association as having a high risk for diabetes

• What puts you at risk: excess weight, especially in the abdominal area

Dispel myths:

1. Sugar doesn’t cause diabetes
2. It runs in my family so…. (biological factors like BMI, waist, fasting glucose, cholesterol/lipids, BP, and lung function play a higher role than family)
3. You can’t get diabetes until you get older…NOPE can occur at any time (but higher incidence after age 45)

• Family history may be true and I believe is more strongly connected to lifestyle, what you ate when growing up, did you see your parents valuing exercise or physical fitness? Eating habits: fruits and veggies?

• Find a provider that is not going to just prescribe metformin then insulin for you to be on for the rest of your life (with no plan to get off of it)
• Better access to practical and actual realistic nutrition and lifestyle modification programs

Citations:

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/heart-disease-in-african-american-women-the-health-disparities-and-how-to-overcome-them/ 

Real talk, real women. No