CirculationAHA SCIENTIFIC STATEMENTCardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Women:The Impact of Race and Ethnicity:A ScientificStatement From the American Heart AssociationLaxmi S.Mehta,MD,FAHA,Chair;Gladys P.Velarde,MD,FAHA;Jennifer Lewey,MD,MPH;Garima Sharma,MD:Rachel M.Bond,MD;Ana Navas-Acien,MD,PhD;Amanda M.Fretts,MPH,PhD;Gayenell S.Magwood,PhD,RN,FAHA;Eugene Yang,MD;Roger S.Blumenthal MD,FAHA;Rachel-Maria Brown,MD;Jennifer H.Mieres,MD,FAHA,Vice Chair;onbehalf of the American Heart Association Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Women and Underrepresented PopulationsCommittee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology;Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing;Council on Hypertension;Councilon Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young;Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health;Councilon Peripheral Vascular Disease;and Stroke CouncilABSTRACT:Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women,yet differences exist among certain racial andethnic groups.Aside from traditional risk factors,behavioral and environmental factors and social determinants of healthaffect cardiovascular health and risk in women.Language barriers,discrimination,acculturation,and health care accessdisproportionately affect women of underrepresented races and ethnicities.These factors result in a higher prevalenceof cardiovascular disease and significant challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions.Culturally sensitive,peer-led community and health care professional education is a necessary step in the prevention ofcardiovascular disease.Equitable access to evidence-based cardiovascular preventive health care should be available for allwomen regardless of race and ethnicity;however,these guidelines are not equally incorporated into clinical practice.Thisscientific statement reviews the current evidence on racial and ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors and currentcardiovascular preventive therapies for women in the United States.fromKey Words:AHA Scientific Statements■cardiovascular diseases■ethnicity■primary prevention■racial groups■risk factors■womenardiovascular disease (CVD)remains the num-vascular risk assessment to include the social deter-ber one cause of death for women in the Unitedminants of health(SDOH)and nonbiological variablesStates.The focused research on women at riskthat affect cardiovascular risk and outcomes is essen-for CVD has clarified our understanding of some of thetial for achieving the American Heart Association'ssex-specific factors that are important in the detection(AHA's)2024 Impact Goal of advancing cardiovascularof atherosclerosis and reduction in death.The 2010health for all by identifying and removing barriers tolandmark Institute of Medicine report,Women's Healthhealth care access and quality.3Research:Progress,Pitfalls and Promise,underscoredRacial,ethnic and sex disparities in cardiovascu-the fact that although major progress was made inlar care are well documented.
