Black women diagnosed with high blood pressure in their 30s and 40s are more likely to have a stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
In a study released earlier this month, the association reported that Black women under the age of 35 who struggled with hypertension had triple the chance of developing a stroke.
The chance of having a stroke was a little less for Black women who had hypertension in their 40s. Still, the risk was heightened.
According to the newly released findings, those with hypertension that developed before the age of 45 had double the risk of suffering from a stroke.
To conduct the study, the American Heart Association analyzed data from the Black Women’s Health Study which collected the health information of approximately 59,000 Black women in 1995.
After follow-ups were scheduled 23 years after the study first began, roughly three percent of the participants reported that they had a stroke.
Black women with high blood pressure before age 35 may have triple the risk of a stroke #ISC24https://t.co/Qi9rCcDXG3 pic.twitter.com/xt34CXpDFK
— American Heart News (@HeartNews) February 1, 2024
While the women who began treatment for high blood pressure between the ages of 24 and 34 had triple the chance of developing a stroke, those who had hypertension between the ages of 45 and 64 years old had an increased 69% risk of having a stroke.
“This research was motivated by the glaring disparity I have seen in my own practice,” said lead researcher Dr. Hugo J. Aparicio, per a news release. “Strokes are occurring at younger ages among my patients who identify as Black and among women. Early-onset stroke, particularly at midlife, is even more tragic because these patients often have families or are caretakers for sick family members.”
The announcement of the new findings comes amidst American Heart Month. Celebrated each February, throughout the month, professionals spotlight the importance of heart health and the impact of heart disease.
Although the illness can impact almost anyone, heart disease disproportionately affects Black Americans. According to a study by researchers at Tulane University, Black Americans have an increased 54% chance of passing away from cardiovascular issues when compared to white Americans.
Cardiovascular diseases particularly affect Black women as over 50,000 Black women pass away from the issue each year, making strokes the number one cause of death for these women.
To help address these disproportionate rates of fatal strokes, organizations such as The ABC Center for Women’s Health, the Black Heart Association and 29DaysOfHeart are all dedicated to helping raise awareness on the issue.
