• Smoking — Over 14% of Black adults smoke, increasing their risk of stroke two- to fourfold. • Not exercising regularly — On average, fewer than half of Black adults meet the weekly goal of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or a combination of both), which increases their stroke risk. • Stress — African American adults face daily stressors that may increase risk for stroke. American Heart Association’s Getting to the Heart of Stroke initiative The American Heart Association’s Getting to the Heart of Stroke™ initiative, developed in conjunction with and supported through $15 million in total funding from HCA Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation, focuses on preventing, treating and beating stroke by providing consumer and health care professional education nationwide, deepening collaboration
between neurology and cardiology and equitably empowering communities with information about stroke risk to improve health outcomes. With individualized health education efforts in 15 local communities across the U.S., including in Denver with HealthONE, the initiative highlights the powerful connection between heart and brain health. Identifying the cause of a stroke is critical to being able to prevent a subsequent stroke. Certain patient subsets, including Black and Hispanic/Latino populations, face additional barriers to identifying and treating stroke risk factors, as well as receiving thorough assessment and treatment following stroke. Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is the most common irregular heartbeat and people with AFib have a three to five times greater risk for stroke. While some AFib risk factors, including uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, are more prevalent among Black people, they are
9 The Acumen
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