Heart Health Disparities Uncovered

Greater likelihood of heart failure is faced by American-Indians than by Hispanics and African-Americans, according to a new study conducted by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association ().

The study had a total of 3,000 participants. Researchers developed a scale to predict heart failure risk in American Indian people using data from the Strong Heart Study.

Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart fails to work adequately as a pump that can deliver oxygen rich blood to the body.

‘Did You Know?
Over 6 million adults in the United States live with heart failure. #heartfailure #americanindians’

Using easily accessible resources, the low-cost risk prediction equation addresses kidney damage and type 2 diabetes treatment.

The study found that heart failure incidence was 2- to 3-fold higher in participants of the Strong Heart Study than in other population-based studies,

High blood sugar levels, smoking, elevated albumin, previous heart attacks, older age, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure were associated with a higher risk of heart failure.

Cardiac Pacemaker for Abnormal Heart Rhythms
A pacemaker stimulates the heart with electrical signals when it detects arrhythmias of the heart. Pacemakers are classified based on the number of lead electrodes used and the type of pacing involved.

Blood sugar control is crucial to reduce heart failure risk, even among patients with established diabetes.

Smoking increases heart failure risk over 5-10 years, while elevated albumin in urine indicates kidney damage. Previous heart attacks are 7 times higher, older age is 70-80 per cent higher, type 2 diabetes increases by 74 per cent and high blood pressure by 43 per cent at 10 years.

Cardiogenic Shock
Cardiogenic shock is defined as reduced cardiac output due to inability of the heart to pump adequate blood in the presence of a normal blood volume.

American-Indians at Greater Risk of Heart Failure

"Implementation of our proposed risk prediction scale in clinical practice can contribute to optimised risk assessment and to the development of preventive strategies to reduce heart failure events and deaths in American Indian communities and populations with a high burden of type 2 diabetes, which have been underrepresented in previous studies," said lead study author Irene Martinez-Morata M.D at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.

The solution exists though. To reduce chronic disease risk, adopt a healthy, balanced diet, including vegetables, salads, protein, and carbohydrates.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
An Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator is an implantable cardiac device which defibrillates the heart in case of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Regular physical activity, at least 150 minutes per week, is crucial for healing and disease prevention.

Get adequate sleep for 7 to 8 hours per night and avoid toxic substances like drugs, smoking, and alcohol, Dr Manisha Arora, director of Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital told IANS.

And above all, let not anything get to your heart, a heart pun that is the antidote to many heart problems.

Reference:

American Indian adults may face higher rates of heart failure - (https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/08/21/american-indian-adults-may-face-higher-rates-of-heart-failure)

Source-IANS