Black Americans have experienced an excessive rate of cardiovascular deaths compared with White Americans over the past two decades despite overall improvements in care, according to new data. The disparities are present across the spectrum of heart disease, from ischemic heart disease to hypertension as well as cerebrovascular disease and heart failure.
“Our study reveals that Black Americans, because of their higher cardiovascular mortality rates compared with white Americans, have suffered almost 800,000 excess deaths, which translates to about 24 million additional years of life lost between 2000 and 2022,” said researcher Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, of Yale New Haven Hospital. “This staggering figure highlights the critical need for systemic changes in addressing cardiovascular inequities.”
See “Despite Gains, Black Americans Still Face Higher CV Mortality” (June 19, 2024)
