Heart disease and stroke are mainly consequences of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure (hypertension). Heart disease is sometimes included in the broader category of atherosclerotic and hypertensive diseases. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke have been well established for many years. Distinct from age, family history, and possible genetic determinants are modifiable risk factors that cause heart attacks and strokes, including high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes. Behaviors that contribute to development of risk factors for heart disease, partly by causing obesity, include adverse dietary patterns and physical inactivity.

Discover how to Cure Your Heart Disease without Drugs

Social and environmental conditions that may determine such behavioral patterns, in turn, include education and income, cultural influences, family and personal habits, and opportunities to make favorable choices.For example, dietary patterns result from the influences of food production policies, marketing practices, product availability, cost, convenience, knowledge, choices that affect health, and preferences that are often based on early-life habits. Because many aspects of behavior are clearly beyond the control of the individual, the scope of heart disease and Stroke and stroke prevention, from the public health perspective, extends far beyond the individual or the patient. Thus, a comprehensive public health strategy for heart disease prevention must address the broader determinants of risk and disease burden as they affect both the population as a whole and particular groups of special concern, including those determinants that make healthier choices more likely for defeating heart disease.

HEART DISEASE

Coronary heart disease, more than all forms of cancer combined, is the leading cause of death among African-American women in the U.S. According to the National Black Women's Health Project, African-American women are 30 percent more likely to die of a heart attack and 79 percent more likely to die of a stroke than White women. More than any other group, Black women are more likely to be affected by heart disease due to the presence of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity and obesity. The more risk factors that are present, the greater the likelihood for developing heart disease.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reflect the prevalence of risk factors within the African-American community, specifically among Black women. More than 30 percent of African-American women suffer from high blood pressure, more than 50 percent are overweight, and 46 percent have high cholesterol levels. Diabetes, the fastest-growing risk factor for heart disease in the United States, is considered an epidemic, and Black women are 1.7 times more likely to suffer from diabetes than White women.

A family history of heart disease or stroke, previous heart attack, stress and age are also possible risk factors. Additionally, doctors say loss of estrogen following menopause contributes to the risk of heart disease.