Heart disease disparities are still measurable in 2021, when Black adults were 19% less likely than White adults to report having health insurance coverage and were also more likely to face delays in emergency care for acute myocardial infarction symptoms. Even when care is available, gaps remain, with Black adults having 34% higher odds of delayed emergency department treatment and 25% lower odds of receiving guideline-concordant statin therapy after MI in 2019–2020. The patterns reach beyond treatment, showing higher rates of uncontrolled hypertension and higher lifetime stroke risk, and that makes the full dataset worth a closer look.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019, African Americans (non-Hispanic) had a heart disease death rate 1.3x higher than Whites (age-adjusted comparison)
- African Americans had 36% lower odds of receiving a cardiac stress test within 30 days after outpatient evaluation compared with White patients (2018–2020 cohort analysis)
- African Americans were 25% less likely to receive guideline-concordant statin therapy after MI compared with Whites in a 2019–2020 study (adjusted odds ratio)
- 23% of deaths among African Americans were from cardiovascular disease in 2019
- Black adults (non-Hispanic) had a mean systolic blood pressure of 128.8 mmHg (2017–2020 NHANES)
- 21.1% of Black adults (non-Hispanic) were physically inactive (no leisure-time physical activity) in 2020
- In 2019, African Americans (non-Hispanic) had a stroke mortality rate of 38.2 deaths per 100,000
- Community health worker (CHW) interventions reduced hypertension-related ED visits by 18% in Black-targeted trials (meta-analysis)
- Participation in cardiac rehabilitation after MI among Black patients improved from 20% in 2015 to 27% in 2020 (registry analysis)
- Statin access programs (assistance/benefit navigation) increased statin fill rates by 23% in real-world studies (2018–2022)
- Cardiovascular disease accounted for 17.0% of total US healthcare spending in 2018
- Percentage of eligible patients receiving ACE inhibitor/ARB for left ventricular systolic dysfunction after MI was 71.0% in 2021 (national)
- 30% of Black adults report having high blood pressure, per the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
- 40.5% of Black adults are obese (age-adjusted), per the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) estimates
- Black patients were 1.6 times as likely to have an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalization with a non-elective (urgent/emergency) admission compared with White patients, per 2018–2019 hospitalization data
African Americans face higher heart disease and stroke burdens, driven by gaps in care and hypertension control.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health Inequities & Access10 stats
01
In 2019, African Americans (non-Hispanic) had a heart disease death rate 1.3x higher than Whites (age-adjusted comparison)
02
African Americans had 36% lower odds of receiving a cardiac stress test within 30 days after outpatient evaluation compared with White patients (2018–2020 cohort analysis)
03
African Americans were 25% less likely to receive guideline-concordant statin therapy after MI compared with Whites in a 2019–2020 study (adjusted odds ratio)
04
In 2021, Black adults were 19% less likely than White adults to report having health insurance coverage (percent insured)
05
Black adults had 34% higher odds of delayed emergency department care for acute myocardial infarction symptoms compared with White adults (2018–2020)
06
Black patients had a 12% lower 30-day survival after hospitalization for heart failure than White patients in a national analysis (2012–2016)
07
Black adults had 2.1x higher odds of having uncontrolled hypertension compared with White adults (NHANES 2017–2020 analysis)
08
Racial disparities in cardiovascular mortality: Black populations experienced higher age-adjusted mortality rates than White populations for heart disease in the US (2010–2019 trend)
09
In 2021, 15.3% of Black adults reported not seeing a doctor in the past year vs 9.3% of White adults (US survey)
10
In 2022, Black adults had 1.4x higher prevalence of high-risk heart failure hospitalizations than White adults in a Medicare claims analysis
Interpretation
Health Inequities & Access Interpretation
These data show that African Americans face consistent health inequities in access and care, with gaps ranging from 36% lower odds of getting a cardiac stress test within 30 days to 34% higher odds of delayed emergency department treatment for acute myocardial infarction symptoms and a 1.3x higher heart disease death rate compared with Whites.
02 · Category
Mortality Burden1 stats
01
23% of deaths among African Americans were from cardiovascular disease in 2019
Interpretation
Mortality Burden Interpretation
In 2019, cardiovascular disease accounted for 23% of all deaths among African Americans, underscoring its substantial mortality burden within this population.
03 · Category
Risk Factors & Comorbidities3 stats
01
Black adults (non-Hispanic) had a mean systolic blood pressure of 128.8 mmHg (2017–2020 NHANES)
02
21.1% of Black adults (non-Hispanic) were physically inactive (no leisure-time physical activity) in 2020
03
In 2019, African Americans (non-Hispanic) had a stroke mortality rate of 38.2 deaths per 100,000
Interpretation
Risk Factors & Comorbidities Interpretation
Within the Risk Factors and Comorbidities category, Black adults show a higher cardiovascular risk profile with an average systolic blood pressure of 128.8 mmHg and 21.1% reporting no leisure-time physical activity, alongside a stroke mortality rate of 38.2 deaths per 100,000 among African Americans in 2019.
04 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
Community health worker (CHW) interventions reduced hypertension-related ED visits by 18% in Black-targeted trials (meta-analysis)
02
Participation in cardiac rehabilitation after MI among Black patients improved from 20% in 2015 to 27% in 2020 (registry analysis)
03
Statin access programs (assistance/benefit navigation) increased statin fill rates by 23% in real-world studies (2018–2022)
04
Blood pressure control initiatives using text-message reminders improved control rates by 9.6 percentage points on average in 2020 systematic review
05
Home BP telemonitoring interventions increased the probability of achieving BP control by 1.45x in a 2021 meta-analysis
06
In a 2022 randomized trial, culturally tailored interventions improved medication adherence by 16% among Black adults with cardiovascular risk
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Across industry trends in heart disease care, targeted support and digital engagement are measurably moving outcomes for African Americans, from an 18% drop in hypertension related ED visits to medication adherence gains of 16% and a 1.45x higher chance of reaching BP control through home telemonitoring.
05 · Category
Cost & Economic Burden1 stats
01
Cardiovascular disease accounted for 17.0% of total US healthcare spending in 2018
Interpretation
Cost & Economic Burden Interpretation
In 2018, cardiovascular disease made up 17.0% of total US healthcare spending, showing how major this condition’s economic burden is within the cost and economic burden category.
06 · Category
Utilization & Outcomes1 stats
01
Percentage of eligible patients receiving ACE inhibitor/ARB for left ventricular systolic dysfunction after MI was 71.0% in 2021 (national)
Interpretation
Utilization & Outcomes Interpretation
In 2021, 71.0% of eligible African American patients received ACE inhibitor or ARB therapy after MI when they had left ventricular systolic dysfunction, showing moderate utilization progress within the Utilization and Outcomes category.
More related reading
07 · Category
Population Health2 stats
01
30% of Black adults report having high blood pressure, per the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
02
40.5% of Black adults are obese (age-adjusted), per the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) estimates
Interpretation
Population Health Interpretation
From a population health perspective, about 30% of Black adults report high blood pressure and 40.5% are obese, showing two major, highly prevalent cardiovascular risk factors that warrant broad community-focused prevention and support.
08 · Category
Hospital Care1 stats
01
Black patients were 1.6 times as likely to have an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalization with a non-elective (urgent/emergency) admission compared with White patients, per 2018–2019 hospitalization data
Interpretation
Hospital Care Interpretation
From the 2018 to 2019 hospitalization data, Black patients were 1.6 times as likely as White patients to experience an acute myocardial infarction hospital admission through urgent non elective care, highlighting an important disparity in hospital care access or severity at admission.
09 · Category
Mortality And Trends3 stats
01
Between 2000 and 2020, the lifetime risk of stroke from age 55 was estimated at 29% for Black adults vs 22% for White adults (model-based estimate)
02
In 2021, Black Americans contributed $35.6 billion in annual direct medical spending attributable to cardiovascular disease (estimate)
03
In 2020, Black adults accounted for 21% of preventable cardiovascular disease deaths in the United States (estimate based on comparative risk assessment)
Interpretation
Mortality And Trends Interpretation
Under Mortality And Trends, the data show that Black adults face a higher lifetime stroke risk and a disproportionate share of preventable cardiovascular deaths, with lifetime stroke risk from age 55 at 29% versus 22% for White adults and Black adults accounting for 21% of preventable cardiovascular deaths in 2020.
10 · Category
Treatment And Access3 stats
01
In 2021, Black adults were 1.3x as likely as White adults to have never been told they had high cholesterol (NHIS estimate)
02
In 2019, Black patients were 1.4x more likely to have LDL cholesterol levels ≥130 mg/dL than White patients (NHANES 2017–2018)
03
In 2021, 58% of Black adults with diabetes reported receiving a recent A1C test, compared with 69% of White adults (BRFSS)
Interpretation
Treatment And Access Interpretation
For Treatment And Access, Black adults lag White adults in heart health monitoring, with only 58% of Black adults with diabetes getting a recent A1C test in 2021 versus 69% of White adults, alongside higher rates of untreated cholesterol signals and elevated LDL.
11 · Category
Care Delivery2 stats
01
In 2021, the average time to first ECG in emergency departments was 8.4 minutes for Black patients vs 7.2 minutes for White patients (multi-center operational study)
02
Between 2017 and 2021, telehealth visits for cardiovascular care increased by 4.7x for Black patients compared with pre-2020 levels (claims-based trend)
Interpretation
Care Delivery Interpretation
Under care delivery, Black patients saw faster ECG access in emergency departments compared with White patients, with 8.4 minutes versus 7.2 in 2021, while telehealth for cardiovascular care rose 4.7 times for Black patients from pre 2020 levels between 2017 and 2021.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). African American Heart Disease Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/african-american-heart-disease-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "African American Heart Disease Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/african-american-heart-disease-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "African American Heart Disease Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/african-american-heart-disease-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+19 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)