Because Black people are more likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated Lipoprotein(a), our risk of developing heart, or cardiovascular, diseases is increased.
Learn more about Lipoprotein(a) and find resources to help you manage the risk of heart disease.
It’s important to know about it because having high levels of Lp(a) can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Lp(a) levels and how our body handles them are affected by genetics.
Studies have shown that Black people tend to have higher levels of Lp(a) compared to other racial and ethnic groups. This means we may have a higher risk of heart problems linked to Lp(a), even if we don’t have risk factors like high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or reduced, leading to brain damage. Symptoms include paralysis (loss of movement), trouble speaking, or memory loss. Learn more.
Happens when blood vessels in the legs and feet narrow, causing symptoms like leg pain and numbness, which can lead to leg amputation (removing a leg with surgery). Learn more.
Affects the tubes (blood vessels) that carry blood to the heart muscle. It can cause chest pain (angina) or lead to a heart attack. Learn more.
Occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Symptoms include shortness of breath and swelling in the legs. Learn more.
ASCVD is a condition where plaque builds up in the arteries, making it hard for blood to flow smoothly through the body. Learn more.
Think of your bloodstream like a highway carrying oxygen and important nutrients to your body, and your arteries as the roads. If fat and cholesterol stick to these roads, it forms plaque, making the arteries narrow and hard, like traffic jams, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
Avoid these symptoms by finding resources to manage your heart health.
Learn how others are taking care of their heart health.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is common within the Black community. Learn about best practices you can put in place to take control of your blood pressure and heart health from hypertension specialist, Dr. Shawna Nesbitt.
Understand how Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is screened for, ways to manage it, and more.
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