A new study reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, found that African-Americans with pre-hypertension develop high blood pressure a year sooner than whites. It also found that Blacks with pre-hypertension have a 35 percent greater risk of progressing to high blood pressure than whites, according to health records of 18,865 adults 18 to 85.
Disheartening health news such as this is one of the reasons the Indianapolis Recorder is hosting a community health fair. The health fair will take place Saturday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Martin University, 2171 N. Avondale Place. It will include free screenings and a public forum.
Hypertension and high blood pressure are not the only health-related issues affecting the African-American community. Following is a list of top health concerns for African-Americans.
Heart disease
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, African-American adults are more likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease, and they are more likely to die from heart disease. Although African-American adults are 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, they are 10 percent less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to have their blood pressure under control.
Breast cancer
Black women have a higher incidence rate of breast cancer before age 40 and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age. Nationally, the death rate for breast cancer from 2003 to 2007 was 32.4 percent for Black women, compared to 23.9 percent for white women, according to the American Cancer Society.
Diabetes
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, African-Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as non-Hispanic whites. In addition, they are more likely to suffer complications from diabetes, such as end-stage renal disease and lower extremity amputations. Although African-Americans have the same or lower rate of high cholesterol as their non-Hispanic white counterparts, they are more likely to have high blood pressure.
Alzheimer’s disease
African-Americans are twice as likely as white’s to get Alzheimer’s, but are much less likely to be diagnosed. The cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown, but high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and stroke are risk factors that are prevalent in African-American communities.
