NIH News Release: African Americans who smoke seem at higher risk of coronary heart disease

Smoking is a well-documented risk factor in coronary heart disease, so why is this newsworthy? Answer: Not only has there been minimal inclusion of African Americans in prior studies, but researchers also had limited ability to single out the specific effects of smoking, distinct from other risk factors in this population such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. All of these risk factors are increased by targeted marketing of tobacco products and junk food to Black and African American communities, along with the daily stress of microaggressions, and the numerous ways systemic racism limits access to healthy food, safe environments for physical activity and transportation, and other risk-reduction measures. With the Jackson Heart Study, researchers were able to assess the relationship between smoking, coronary heart disease, and coronary artery calcification in African American adults which suggests “African Americans smokers represent a particularly vulnerable population for this disease,” said lead study author Adebamike Oshunbade, M.D., M.P.H. How effective are tobacco cessation efforts for African Americans given such high risk to their heart health? “73% of African American adults who smoke want to quit,” said David Goff, M.D., Ph.D., director of the NHLBI’s Division of Cardiovascular Sciences. “However, compared to whites, African American patients are less likely to receive information about smoking cessation treatments that we know can make a difference. Fully addressing tobacco-related disparities requires addressing conditions where people live, work, and play.” The full news release and Jackson Heart Study links may be found here.

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