黑人心脏病和中风

心脏病 是No. 对所有美国人来说都是一个杀手.S. 成年人, 中风 是No. 5 killer and a leading cause of disability. 尽管这些数据令人恐惧, the risks of getting those diseases are even higher for Black people. Historical and systemic factors play a major role in these statistics. Among them are adverse social determinants of health, the conditions in which a person is born and lives. The determinants include lack of access to health care and healthy foods, and other societal issues.

好消息是，美国的黑人.S. can improve their odds of preventing and beating these diseases by understanding the risks and taking simple steps to address them.

It is important to have a checkup and work with a health care professional on your specific risk factors and the things that you need to do to take care of your health. 高血压，超重，肥胖和 糖尿病 are common conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and 中风. Here’s how they affect Black people and some tips to lower your risk.

高血压

The prevalence of high blood pressure in 美国的黑人.S. 是世界上最高的吗. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease and 中风. It can cause permanent damage to the heart before you even notice any symptoms, that's why it is often referred to as the "沙巴足球体育平台." Not only is high blood pressure more severe in Black people than white people, 但它也会在生命早期发展.

You can’t do anything about your family history, but you can control your blood pressure.

无. 1 thing you can do is check your blood pressure regularly. A normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg. The first number is the systolic pressure when heart is contracting. The second is diastolic pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxing. 高血压 is when you have consistent systolic readings of 130 mm Hg or higher or diastolic readings of 80 mm Hg or higher. 如果你有高血压, work with your health care professional to find the right medication and lifestyle changes that can help.

If you know your blood pressure is high, keeping track of changes is important. Check it regularly and notify your health care professional of changes in case your treatment needs to be adjusted.

肥胖

美国的黑人.S. are disproportionately affected by obesity. They may live in areas without access to healthy foods, which will affect their diet. 肥胖 is a risk factor for heart disease and 中风 and is linked to other health problems like 糖尿病 and cancer.

如果你有多余的体重, focus on the quality of your diet throughout the day, 不仅仅是在吃饭的时候. 选择 明智的零食 能成为健康饮食的一部分吗. Avoid high calorie snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages such as full-calorie sodas. 选择水代替. The 美国心脏协会 recommends limiting red meat in favor of lean meats such as fish or chicken, and watching portions on carbohydrate-heavy foods, 比如意大利面和米饭. 可以选择全麦食品.

Research shows that dietary patterns rich in fruits and vegetables, 除了白土豆, are associated with a reduced risk of CVD. 如果你超重或肥胖, work with your health care professional to develop a plan to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

糖尿病

糖尿病 is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and 中风, and 美国的黑人.S. are more likely to have 糖尿病 than non-Hispanic white people.

Type 2 糖尿病 is treatable and preventable, but many people don’t recognize the early warning signs. 或者他们可能会避免寻求治疗.

For 糖尿病 and other heart disease risks, regular exercise plays a key role – both in strengthening the cardiovascular system and burning extra calories.

The AHA recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, 或者两者的结合.