Last week we had an article that discussed the Million Hearts national campaign that has the goal of preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years. In the article we mentioned we would feature articles to help educate readers on what heart disease is, as well as what cardiovascular disease and strokes are. We hope our readers will be able to learn what causes these conditions and what they can do to help prevent them. The following article is from the Million Hearts website.

Heart disease, including heart attack and stroke, affect people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. However, some groups are at higher risk. With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes happening every year in the United States, it’s important to know the risks.

Heart Disease and Age

Many people mistakenly think of heart disease and stroke as conditions that only affect older adults. However, a large number of younger people suffer heart attacks and strokes. More than 150,000 heart disease and stroke deaths every year are among people younger than 65.

Heart Disease and Race

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States for adults of all races. However, there are big differences in the rates of heart disease and stroke between different racial and ethnic groups. Minority groups are more likely to be affected by heart disease and stroke than others—which contributes to lower life expectancy found among minorities.

As of 2007, African American men were 30% more likely to die from heart disease than were non-Hispanic white men. African American adults of both genders are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure and 10% less likely than their white counterparts to have their blood pressure under control. African Americans also have the highest rate of high blood pressure of all population groups, and they tend to develop it earlier in life than others.

Heart Disease and Gender

Women in the United States experience higher rates of heart disease than men. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women, killing nearly 422,000 each year. Following a heart attack, approximately 1 in 4 women will die within the first year, compared to 1 in 5 men.

Heart Disease and Income

Men and women of all economic backgrounds are at risk for heart disease and stroke. However, there is a significant difference in the rates of heart disease between high- and low-income groups. Individuals with low incomes are much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack, and stroke than their high-income peers.

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