RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Population-wide reductions in cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality have not been shared equally by African Americans. The burden of cardiovascular disease in the African American community remains high and is a primary cause of disparities in life expectancy between African Americans and whites. The objectives of the present scientific statement are to describe cardiovascular health in African Americans and to highlight unique considerations for disease prevention and management. METHOD: The primary sources of information were identified with PubMed/Medline and online sources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: The higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors (eg, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk) underlies the relatively earlier age of onset of cardiovascular diseases among African Americans. Hypertension in particular is highly prevalent among African Americans and contributes directly to the notable disparities in stroke, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease among African Americans. Despite the availability of effective pharmacotherapies and indications for some tailored pharmacotherapies for African Americans (eg, heart failure medications), disease management is less effective among African Americans, yielding higher mortality. Explanations for these persistent disparities in cardiovascular disease are multifactorial and span from the individual level to the social environment. CONCLUSIONS: The strategies needed to promote equity in the cardiovascular health of African Americans require input from a broad set of stakeholders, including clinicians and researchers from across multiple disciplines.
Assuntos
American Heart Association , Negro ou Afro-Americano , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etnologia , Disparidades nos Níveis de Saúde , Negro ou Afro-Americano/genética , Doenças Cardiovasculares/genética , Doenças Cardiovasculares/mortalidade , Doenças Cardiovasculares/terapia , Comorbidade , Diabetes Mellitus/etnologia , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Humanos , Hipertensão/etnologia , Incidência , Estilo de Vida/etnologia , Obesidade/etnologia , Prevalência , Serviços Preventivos de Saúde , Prognóstico , Fatores de Risco , Comportamento de Redução do Risco , Estados Unidos/epidemiologiaRESUMO
April 2011 marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the American Red Cross Blood Services (ARCBS). In this report, we present a biography of Dr. Charles Drew, the first medical director of the ARCBS. Although many may recognize Dr. Charles Drew for this position, the research and training that led him to be uniquely qualified to take this position may not be as well known. We present his professional training, his research on blood preservation and distribution, and his service to the larger medical community and country. Lastly, we address the many myths that have arisen over the years since his untimely death at the age of 45 on April 1, 1950, and present the legacy of Dr. Charles Drew that has largely been unknown to the greater medical and scientific community.