Heart disease is a silent epidemic that is having a disproportionate impact on the Black community in New York City’s neighborhoods. The mortality rate from heart disease, a significant cause of death in the country, is far greater among African Americans than among white people. By exploring the viewpoints of medical professionals and those directly affected by the illness, this narrative highlights the significance of self-care, awareness, and systemic reform.
Understanding and preventing heart disease has been Dr. Rachel-Maria Brown Talaska’s focus as a cardiologist and clinical associate professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Langone Health. The discrepancy in heart disease rates among Black people is a complex problem, according to her.
“Typical risk factors for heart disease are diabetes; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; smoking; sedentary lifestyle/little or no exercise; poor diet high in saturated fats, sugar, and salt; and obesity. Chronic stress is also a contributor,” she said. “Genetic predisposition/family history of cardiovascular disease is a non-modifiable component of your risk profile. However, the key takeaway is that 80% of cardiovascular diseases are preventable with education and lifestyle modification.”
Brown Talaska emphasized the importance of regular check-ups and early detection. “Typical primary prevention screening labs should include fasting cholesterol profile, hemoglobin A1c, thyroid function panel, and blood pressure screening,” she said. “Based on your personal and/or family history, your healthcare provider may advise additional lab work and imaging, such as an echocardiogram/heart ultrasound.”
A son’s heartbreaking loss, a survivor’s tale
Gabriel Yomi Dabiri, 47, knows the devastating consequences of heart disease all too well. He is an attorney and managing partner at the Polsinelli law firm in New York City. He is of Nigerian descent and volunteers with the American Heart Association. Residing in Westchester County, Yomi Dabiri lost his mother to a heart attack in 2012. She had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that went undiagnosed until it was too late.
To head off a similar fate, “I was getting educated on my health situation and the lifestyle risks that can increase your risk,” Yomi Dabiri said. “I do have an annual physical every year. I do have an echocardiogram done with my physical every year … just to keep a close eye on it, and I generally live a healthy lifestyle. I tend to eat pretty clean. I go to the gym six days a week.”
Jazmin George, a 28-year-old Black woman from the Bronx, is a living testament to the importance of early intervention and resilience. At just 18, George suffered a heart attack in her dorm room a week before finals, on her mother’s birthday. Her biological father had died from a heart attack in his early 30s, making her condition even more poignant.
“I was quite athletic at that age and had danced for about a decade before I quit and transitioned to yoga and kickboxing throughout high school,” George recalled. “I also was an avid gym-goer throughout high school, so to experience a heart attack after being in the best shape of my life at the time was shocking.”
Since her heart attack, George has been an advocate for heart health, sharing her story to inspire others to prioritize their well-being.
“My roommate Jin saved my life,” she said. “Without her, I doubt I’d be here to answer these questions. I pay it forward in validating others’ medical concerns, just as Jin did for me. I urge people to take care of themselves first … Black people deal with the daily stresses of life like everyone else and then have to navigate a society that rejects our existence but loves our labor. Black people face an endless battle in this country to be seen as human. This fight has existed since the inception of this country, and its impact is compounded in the sense that all of this trauma passes on from one generation to the next in our epigenetics, only for us to experience even more trauma in our own lived experiences. Managing stress is easier said than done when people have to constantly fight for their survival and push even harder to thrive.”
A nurse’s journey
Nicole Winn, a 53-year-old registered nurse from Englewood, NJ., has had a difficult health journey. What started as a routine pap smear examination ultimately altered her life. Between 1996 and 2024, Winn underwent four extensive heart surgeries to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm and a left coronary button aneurysm, and replace or install a mechanical aortic valve, a pulmonic valve, a pulmonary artery conduit, an ascending aorta and arch, a pulmonary artery conduit, a pulmonary arterioplasty, and a dual-chamber pacemaker.
“An aneurysm is essentially like an outpouching or a balloon effect of that (particular) artery,” Winn said. “It’s capable of rupturing at any time, and I am pretty sure most people are familiar with John Ritter from ‘Three’s Company’ — that’s what happened to him. These aneurysms are dangerous because they’re often not detected and can rupture … I was born with congenital heart disease.”
After undergoing more than 23 hours of total surgery time and amassing more than $2.1 million in medical bills, Winn believes her health challenges helped find her calling.
“I live life out loud. I live in a moment. I don’t let many things stress me out. Why? Look what I’ve been through,” she said. “I’ve always been a critical care nurse. I love saving lives. I love making a difference in patients. Being a survivor helps what I do every day — to make people smile and feel good and not feel like they’re the only ones. We have a hard time embracing our new normal life with diseases and illnesses.”
Moving forward
The stories of Brown Talaska, Yomi Dabiri, George, and Winn highlight the urgent need to tackle heart disease in New York City’s Black community. Raising awareness, improving healthcare access, and promoting self-care can help reduce disparities and save lives.
“The Black American community is at higher risk for heart disease and stroke disease compared with other ethnic groups,” Brown Talaska said. “This is, in large part, due to the high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity in Black Americans.”
Healthcare professionals, advocates, survivors, and families all play crucial roles in emphasizing heart health and addressing disparities.
“New York State is ranked 22nd in the nation for cardiovascular disease-related deaths, according to the NYS DOH,” Brown Talaska said. “The highest rates of heart disease in NYC correlate with areas with high poverty indices. This trend can be seen across the five boroughs. However, the borough with the highest prevalence of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and stroke is the Bronx.”
Call 311 or visit the NYC’s Department of Health’s website to learn more about how to keep your heart healthy: https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/heart-disease.page.