Posted on 03/22/2009 1:03:11 PM PDT by neverdem
N.E. Journal Of Medicine: 1 In 100 African Americans Will Develop The Problem In The Prime Of Life -- Before 50
Heart failure affects about 5 million Americans and is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65, but new research suggests it's not just a disease of the elderly. And for people of color, it's striking remarkably early.
One in 100 black men and women will develop heart failure in the prime of life. It's usually the disease of the older set, but according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, surprisingly it's striking blacks before age 50.
"This study clearly shows your risk of having heart failure is 20 times higher, if you're African American than if you're white," says Dr. Franz Messerli of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital.
Heart failure happens when the heart loses its ability to pump sufficient blood through the body. It causes shortness of breath and fluid retention in the legs or the lungs.
It's often fatal.
Blacks may get heart failure so early because their blood pressure and body weight rises faster during their 20s. By the time they reach their 30s and 40s, damage to the heart has already been done.
"Over 90 percent of people who have heart failure, have a history of hypertension. So clearly, high blood pressure, hypertension, is a major, major powerful risk factor for the development of heart failure," says Messerli.
Other explanations range from income and social factors to genetics. The researchers say the takeaway message is that doctors should be focused on treating young blacks who may be at risk.
"The observation by itself is so dramatic that it really motivates us to treat as aggressively as we possibly can," says Messerli.
The best way to prevent heart failure is through a healthy lifestyle. Avoid smoking, make sure to get regular exercise, keep cholesterol low, and keep illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure under good control.
Genetics. Same with diabetes and a bunch of other problems.
You know its funny they mention ‘before 50.’
I have not jokingly said I think Obama will either have a breakdown or a heart attack before his term is over.
Maybe. Can a study really isolate the lifestyle factors sufficiently to demonstrate a genetic disposition?
Self deleted reply.
Nope. Self-induced stress from all that hatred flowing through their veins.
Not joking'.
The only thing genetic about it, might be the ability to hate that much.
So is this racist? Heart disease is a racist condition?
At least the article didn’t imply racism. Not too directly, anyway.
More or less...
Bush/Cheney/Halliburton’s Fault
Get ready for “racial outcome norming” and maybe even “medical reparations” if the health care sector is nationalized.
Medical affirmative action - all things being equal, the person of color gets treated first?
Maybe not, but I have it, my dad has it, and so does his brother. Luckily, we also seem to recover from it rather well.
This does not, however, address my question, which was whether, population-wide, a genetic predisposition to heart disease could be proved independent of other factors.
Yes. Or a condition of Racists.
Actually, I was saying that Heart Disease can be Mother Nature's way of saying, "It's not nice to be a Racist".
Mother knows best, ya know?
Outside of heart failure, there are many diseases that are predominant in certain ethnic groups.
True - but can the manifestation of those diseases be shown to be genetic, independent of factors such as weight, diet, exercise, smoking, etc.? Before you ask, "What difference does it make?", it doesn't really, to me. I was just wondering if studies had been done to demonstrate this, since the earlier poster stated a genetic cause as fact.
And best wishes for a long life to your family!
This is George Bush’s and whitey’s fault. There are no grocery stores so they have to eat fast food which makes them fat and raises their cholesterol and triglicerides. This also leads to type 2 diabetes. If only Bush had put grocery stores in the hood...
AHA!!! “Income and social factors..” See there. The white devil slave master is the REEEL cause.
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