Heart Failure More Common Among African-Americans

According to the American Heart Association, heart failure occurs when any of the heart’s chambers lose their ability to keep up with blood flow, resulting in difficulty breathing, fatigue and swelling. Heart failure is usually a chronic disease, meaning it's a long-term condition that tends to gradually become worse. Anyone can suffer from heart failure, however, a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that heart failure is 20 times more common in African-Americans than in whites. In fact, researchers found that the rate of heart failure for African-Americans in their 30s and 40s is the same as that of whites in their 50s and 60s, with many African-Americans already showing risk factors in their 20s. Moreover, by the time they reach age 50, 1 in 100 African-Americans could develop heart failure, regardless of gender. The primary reason for this extraordinarily high rate of heart failure in young black adults is high blood pressure, which is more prevalent among this group than others. Several factors contribute to this high incidence of high blood pressure among African-Americans, including family history, stress, obesity, poor diet and other factors. Obesity, which can lead to diabetes and other health problems, is especially common among black women, with 40 percent of black women in some communities being obese.

The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, which has been in progress for nearly 25 years, began by following more 5,115 young adults between ages 18 and 30. The study attempted to include an equal number participants in groups of race, gender, education and age. After conducting several follow-up examinations on these participants, researchers found that of the 27 participants that were diagnosed with heart failure, only one was not African-American. The fact that such young black adults are being diagnosed with this serious condition means that their lives are getting cut short, with almost 70 percent of heart failure patients dying within 10 years of diagnosis. Life expectancy usually depends on how severe the heart failure is, whether it can be corrected and what type of treatment is used. So, for patients with mild heart failure, about half live at least 10 years, while for patients with severe heart failure, about half live at least 2 years. Still, even if a heart failure patient does survive for several years after their disease is diagnosed, it is probable that their quality of life will significantly decrease with time. So, it is extremely important that African-Americans get screened for heart failure and its risk factors earlier and more often, especially if high blood pressure is a possibility. If a patient is diagnosed with hypertension, they can begin to work with their doctor to lower their risk of heart failure by exercising more, reaching a healthy weight and consuming less salt, or if necessary, they can take medication to assist in lowering blood pressure. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured from a delay in diagnosis or treatment of heart failure or other heart-related problem, contact the experienced attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Nassau medical malpractice, Suffolk medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice and Queens medical malpractice cases. Send us an instant inquiry and we will evaluate your case at no cost to you.

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