7 Reasons Latinos Should Take Heart Disease Seriously

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The American Heart Association (AHA) is urging Hispanic families to discuss heart health, given their struggles with heart disease, VoxxiNews reports.

More than one-third of Hispanics have heart diseases, such as heart attack, stroke, hypertension, heart failure, and irregular heartbeat. Hispanics also have elevated risk factors, like obesity and diabetes.

Here are seven reasons Latinos should take heart disease seriously, via VoxxiNews:

• Among Mexican-American adults age 20 and older, 33.4% of men and 30.7% percent of women have cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• 2.8% of Hispanic adults have had a stroke.
• Men, blacks, and Mexican Americans have higher rates of TIA (mini-stroke) than their female and non-Hispanic white counterparts.
• Mexican Americans have higher cumulative incidence for ischemic stroke at younger ages but not at older ages.
• Mexican Americans have a higher incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage than non-Hispanic whites.
• The 2009 stroke death rate for Hispanic males was 30.9 and 28.0 for females.
• Among Mexican Americans age 20 and older: 6.7% of men and 5.3% of women have coronary heart disease; 3.6% of men and 1.7% of women have had an myocardial infarction (heart attack); 3.4% of men and 3.3% of women have angina.

The AHA suggests prevention is the best medicine.

This includes things like eating at least two servings of fish each week, cutting back on foods high in dietary cholesterol, and getting active wherever you are.

“Making simple changes can help you greatly reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease,” Paula Chavez, AHA spokesperson and fitness expert, said in a news release. “By making healthier food choices, incorporating exercise and scheduling regular check-ups with your doctor, you can be proactive in your and your family’s wellbeing.

“By taking control of our health today, we can live longer, stronger lives in the future.”