Smoking Increases Heart Risk Among Black Americans

This article reviews research analyzing the correlation between heart disease and smoking in Black Americans, highlighting that Black Americans who smoke have higher heart risks than their white counterparts.

We know that some groups of people are more likely to die from CHD [coronary heart disease] than others: deaths are higher among African Americans than among people who are white. One underlying factor is longstanding disparities in health problems that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.

SOURCE: Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School • AUTHOR: Christy N. Taylor, MD, MPH, Hanna Gaggin, MD, MPH • LAST UPDATED: June 28, 2021