Health hotline - coronary heart disease

HEART DISEASE

Coronary heart disease, more than all forms of cancer combined, is the leading cause of death among African-American women in the U.S. According to the National Black Women's Health Project, African-American women are 30 percent more likely to die of a heart attack and 79 percent more likely to die of a stroke than White women. More than any other group, Black women are more likely to be affected by heart disease due to the presence of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity and obesity. The more risk factors that are present, the greater the likelihood for developing heart disease.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reflect the prevalence of risk factors within the African-American community, specifically among Black women. More than 30 percent of African-American women suffer from high blood pressure, more than 50 percent are overweight, and 46 percent have high cholesterol levels. Diabetes, the fastest-growing risk factor for heart disease in the United States, is considered an epidemic, and Black women are 1.7 times more likely to suffer from diabetes than White women.

A family history of heart disease or stroke, previous heart attack, stress and age are also possible risk factors. Additionally, doctors say loss of estrogen following menopause contributes to the risk of heart disease.

Although one in two American women will die of heart disease, only 8 percent of women in the United States recognize heart disease as their greatest health threat, according to a recent survey by the American Heart Association. "Heart disease has long been considered a disorder which principally affects men in our society," says cardiologist Dr. Richard Allen Williams. "Consideration of the occurrence of heart attacks in females has been largely an afterthought."

To minimize the risks of heart disease, doctors urge women and men to maintain a healthy diet, exercise, eliminate tobacco use, reduce salt and cholesterol intake, and monitor alcohol intake.

BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among African-American women, with the latest statistics indicating that 19,300 new cases of the disease are diagnosed annually.

Although White women develop breast cancer at higher rates than Black women, doctors say African-American women are more likely to die from the disease. Death rates among Black women are approximately 28 percent higher than those among White women, primarily, experts say, because they are often diagnosed when the disease is at a more advanced stage.

Every year breast cancer kills about 5,600 African-American women, making the disease the second highest-ranked cause of cancer death among Black women, topped only by lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Although breast cancer cannot be prevented, it can be detected at an early, treatable stage. Five-year survival after treatment for early-stage breast cancer is 96 percent.

Early detection, regular checkups and routine mammograms will increase breast cancer survival, experts add. And although there has been a barrage of recent reports debating the effectiveness of screening mammography, medical authorities continue to assert that mammograms save lives. "Breast cancer, if found early, is a very treatable disease," says American Medical Association Board of Trustee John C. Nelson, M.D., an obstetrician/gynecologist in Salt Lake City. The AMA says that many women are still not incorporating mammograms into their yearly health care routine, and the problem is worse among minorities, older and low-income women. "[Mammograms] can be uncomfortable," Dr. Nelson says, "but not as uncomfortable as losing a breast, or losing one's life. Mammograms can be lifesaving."

The American Cancer Society recommends:

* Women aged 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year.

* Between the ages of 20-39, women should have a clinical breast examination by a health professional every three years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.

* Women aged 20 or older should perform breast self-examination every month. By doing the exam regularly, women can get to know how their breasts normally feel and can more readily detect any change.

LUNG CANCER

Lung cancer kills more Black women than any other type of cancer, including breast cancer. It is the second most common cancer afflicting African-American women, but brings with it a higher mortality rate, according to the American Cancer Society.

The most recent statistics show that lung cancer caused an estimated 21 percent of all cancer deaths among Black women in 2001. That same year, there were about 7,600 projected cases of lung cancer reported in African-American women, which accounts for 12 percent of all cancer cases.

Cancer specialists agree that prevention is key--avoiding risk factors and making sure that annual checkups are a part of your health maintenance routine. Doctors say that smoking, exposure to asbestos, radon, diesel exhaust and fuels such as gasoline are risk factors for lung cancer. Some recent studies have shown that women who smoke or are exposed to tobacco smoke are more likely to develop lung cancer than men. In addition, air pollution in some cities may also slightly increase cancer risk.