Urgent message for Black women: Your heart needs your attention

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for all American women, but the risks are significantly higher—and deadlier—for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) women.

According to the American Heart Association, 59% of Black women live with cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke. By comparison, those conditions impact 44% of white women. The prevalence of stroke for Black women is two times higher than that of white women.

The lack of access to culturally relevant health care and healthy food along with structural racism are factors that contribute to the health care gap for women of color.

Now an initiative from Hennepin County is attacking these disparities with an education campaign and by partnering with clinics that reach BIPOC women.

The Hennepin County Women’s Heart Health Initiative alerts BIPOC women to their higher risk, encourages them to schedule regular screenings and supports them taking proactive, preventative steps to protect their hearts for a lifetime.

“We need to start screenings with our daughters, nieces, and sisters when they are in their 20s and 30s. They come to see me and say, I feel fine, but when we do a cholesterol check or an EKG, that’s when we can catch things early, even before they have symptoms,” said Dr. Rahshana Price-Isuk. “A lot of times once they’re having symptoms, something is already advanced.”

The director of clinical services at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis, Dr Price-Isuk points to research that finds that the persistent stress BIPOC women live with accumulates and takes a toll.

“Especially in Black families, women are doing everything and checking on everyone. Stress causes a complex ripple effect in the body that increases hormones called cortisol,” she explained. “Chronic stress every day changes your system and causes increased risk of diabetes, being overweight and heart disease.”

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners has dedicated $1 million each year since 2024 for the initiative that educates BIPOC women about their higher heart health risks. The initiative has been championed by Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley.

“Commissioner Conley had a heart attack at age 45 and didn’t realize she was having a heart attack. That sparked her to put funding into her public health education,” Dr Price-Isuk said. “Women experience different symptoms than men and we need to know the sings and  symptoms nobody tells us about so we can recognize what’s going on in our bodies.”

Women experiencing heart attacks may not fit the classic depiction of a man suffering a heart attack such as clutching the chest. Instead, women may feel neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort without chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, unusual fatigue or nausea, vomiting, or severe indigestion.

“Sometimes they pass our symptoms off because we’re busy caring for our families. Or we go to the doctor and they tell us, oh, you’re just doing too much, when you could be having a heart attack,” Dr Price-Isuk noted. “As Black women, we have to find a place where we feel comfortable, supported and listened to.”

Many women are also unaware of behavior and lifestyle decisions that can increase their risk of heart disease.

“One thing nobody tells you is that too much alcohol can also cause heart disease.

Because it’s so socially acceptable we don’t talk about how overuse can cause problems,” Dr Price-Isuk said.

“Cigarette smoking causes arteries to eventually harden and get clogged. If you have a mom or dad who had a heart attack before 60, you’re at higher risk. You need to be tested earlier if you have diabetes in the family. It doesn’t matter what your weight is; even at normal weight you need those tests so we can catch things earlier,” she added.

Finding connections is also key to improving heart health for BIPOC women. The North Point Health and Wellness Center established the Women’s Heart Healthy Social Group for women with a heart condition.

“Women get diagnosed and get sent home. They get isolated. There are women who had one event and may be at risk for having a second,” Dr Price-Isuk said. “We want to prevent that, using education and giving the women a chance to share their stories and build community.”

While efforts like Hennepin County’s Women’s Heart Health Initiative bring badly needed resources to BIPOC women, Dr Price-Isuk said ongoing heart health disparities show the need for broad systems change.

“As Black women, we are going to know more, know better and do bette. We are going to demand answers to our questions about our health and keep asking questions until we get answers.”

For more information on Hennepin County’s Women’s Health Initiative, go to https://www.hennepincounty.gov/health-promotion/featured-projects/your-heart-beats-for-generations?from=heart-beats