What Black Women Should Know About Heart Disease
American Heart Association says Blacks are at higher risk.
1 / 10
Go Red for Women - On Feb. 3, 2012, you may see a sea of red in your office or at your school thanks to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Day, a national campaign aimed at raising awareness of heart disease in women. Sadly, African-American women are more likely to die from heart disease than women of other races, which makes it all the more urgent that Black women be better informed. To learn how you can help support the campaign, visit the Go Red for Women website, and read on to get the facts about heart disease and how to protect yourself and your family. —Britt Middleton
2 / 10
What Is Heart Disease? - Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart, which can lead to a heart attack. If healthy lifestyle changes aren’t made, the condition will continue to worsen. CHD is the leading cause of death in the United States for women, according to the American Heart Association. (Photo: Rick Gershon/Getty Images)
3 / 10
Little Red Dress - The ASA encourages wearing the color red in solidarity with Go Red for Women Day. In 2003, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) introduced the red dress as a symbol for women and heart disease awareness, and the AHA adopted the symbol in partnership with the cause. (Photo: American Heart Association)
4 / 10
Star Power - Lawyer and television personality Star Jones has never been one to hold her tongue when it comes to issues close to her heart, and as a spokeswoman for this year’s Go Red for Women campaign, she’s continuing that tradition. “I learned late in life that heart disease was my greatest threat, which is why I want every woman to know the truth — that heart disease is their number-one killer,” Jones said in a national ad campaign for the cause. (Photo: Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images)
5 / 10
Famous Friends of the Cause - Other famous names attached to the Go Red for Women campaign are Access Hollywood anchor Shaun Robinson, Oprah Winfrey and the cast of The Talk, who have all thrown their support behind the cause in recent years. (Photos: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 10
Higher Risks for Black Women - According to the AHA, heart disease is more prevalent in Black women than it is in white women — and so are some of the factors that increase one’s risk of developing heart disease, including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
7 / 10
Dangers of High Blood Pressure - The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found that about 37 percent of Black women have high blood pressure. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, increases the risk of stroke and congestive heart failure —and Black women have high rates of both, according to the NHLBI. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
8 / 10
Kick Bad Habits - According to the U.S. Department of Health, smokers who kicked the habit for a year decreased their risk of heart disease by more than half. (Photo: REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
9 / 10
Risk Factors - There are factors that increase one’s risk for heart disease that can be controlled, such as abstaining from smoking and getting regular exercise, and then there are those that cannot be controlled, such as your family history of heart disease. Visit the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (PDF) for a fact sheet of each and questions to ask your doctor. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)