Alisha Afzal

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States as reported by various sources. It also, in fact, is the most common birth defect to occur in children; it is characterized by problems with a heart’s structure. Although the average lifespan of a person with CHD is 75+/- 11 years, only four years less than the expected lifespan for an average non-affected person, chances of survival to a certain age overlay as an
overbearing, uncertain factor of stress at great intensity. However, as genetics go, one’s ethnic group can determine how all aspects and situations regarding heart disease will go.

Why though?

The main three pioneers of determining which ethnic groups are at higher risk are amount of deaths, prevalence, and risk factors: such as Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), Obesity, Diabetes, and High Cholesterol. Additionally, going more in-depth, money and resources for life’s basic needs, quality of education, quality of healthcare, state of living, and supportive relationships may differentiate based on one’s ethnic group and thus affect chances of developing Heart Disease; as a side note, it has also been determined that people who are male, smoke, have a family history of heart disease, and are over the age of 55 are at higher risk. Below is a list of a few ethnic groups alongside how commonly each one develops heart disease and why.

Black (Non- Hispanic)

Based on research conducted and data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the National Vital Statistics (NVSS), the black, non-Hispanic, ethic community has the most CHD-related deaths. 47% of black adults have been diagnosed with heart disease according to an article published on Cleveland Clinic’s webpage. One reason stated as to why dark-skinned people are at higher risk is because they are generally hit harder by high blood pressure (hypertension); hypertension is most common in the black ethnic groups with 59% of black adults being diagnosed with it. Obesity, another danger factor, also has people from the black ethnic group as the most likely to have it. Statistics illustrate that 47.5% of black adults are obese.

White (Non- Hispanic)

Second on the list as most likely to get heart disease are people of the white, non-hispanic, ethnic group. When comes down to high cholesterol, a blatant risk factor that can increase the chances of developing heart disease, white people show the highest percent of people who are diagnosed with it; 12.6% of white adults have high cholesterol.

Hispanic or Latino

Next on the list of ethnic groups most likely to develop heart disease is the Hispanic or Latino section. They are the second percentage of people to be diagnosed with the risk factors of Hypertension, Obesity, and High Total Cholesterol: 29.4%, 46.9%, and 11.2%. They also hold the highest percentage of people with Diabetes at 21.5%.

Asian or Pacific Islander (Non-Hispanic)

Last on the list is the Asian and Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic, ethnic group. They hold the slot of having the least amount of people with Hypertension, Obesity, and Diabetes: 27.2%, 12.4%, and 14.5%. They are also the second least likely to have High Total Cholesterol: 10.7%. As such, people from the Asian and Pacific Islander ethnic group are the least likely to develop heart disease.

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