Cardiovascular disease risk in Hispanic American women

ABSTRACT

Hispanic American women have an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study examined CVD risk in a sample of immigrant Hispanic women using Framingham point scores and the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Estimator for 10-year CVD risk and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. A cross-sectional study using baseline data from a diabetes self-management intervention study in a sample of 118 Hispanic American women was conducted. Data were c ollected with interviewer-administered surveys, and HbA1C and lipid profiles were obtained through capillary finger stick blood at clinics and churches in rural counties in central North Carolina. A majority (58%) of the women had type 2 diabetes and 61% had metabolic syndrome. Using the Framingham point scores for 10-year CVD risk, 2.5% were determined to have intermediate risk, compared to 7.6% at intermediate risk and 2.5% at high risk using the ASCVD 10-year risk estimator. High rates of CVD risk factors were found among this sample of Hispanic women. Early recognition of risk, mitigation of modifiable risk factors, and effective self-care programs are needed for Hispanic women. Hispanic American women may benefit from community-based CVD educational programs that have been culturally and linguistically tailored.

KEYWORDS:

• ASCVD risk estimator
• cardiovascular disease
• Framingham risk score
• Hispanic American women
• metabolic syndrome

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities under grant [P20MD002289]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities or the National Institutes of Health.