Heart disease is the leading killer among U.S. adults. Importantly, certain groups in the U.S. are at higher risk for developing and dying from heart disease. In America, 44% of men of Black or African descent and nearly 48% of women of Black or African descent have some form of heart disease. Historical and systemic factors play a major role in creating these health disparities.
“Studying and helping patients with heart disease is my career, but my passion is helping those patients who are disproportionately affected,” explains Alanna Morris-Simon, M.D., M.Sc., an advanced heart failure cardiologist and Senior Medical Director, Cardiovascular and Renal, at Bayer. “Persons who identify as Latinx or those of Black or African descent have a higher risk for developing and dying from certain types of heart disease, for several reasons. Some of these can be modifiable factors, like weight, diet, physical inactivity and stress control, but many of them are less modifiable, including things like access to care, gaps in education and programming, and disparities in access to care. Importantly, Black and Latinx persons have historically been underrepresented in important clinical trials that are changing how we practice medicine.”
This February, Morris-Simon and her colleagues at Bayer are leveraging Heart Month and Black History Month as an opportunity to underscore Bayer’s commitment to heart health and to raise awareness about the prevalence of heart disease among communities of Black or African descent.
Through partnerships with advocacy groups and patient education, like the launch of Are You at Risk for a Heart Attack? | Bayer® Aspirin, Bayer aims to raise awareness about heart-health risks.
To better understand the effects of heart disease in communities of Black or African descent, HuffPost spoke with Judith Missick, who shares her story of courage, resilience and the unbreakable bond of family in the face of a life-threatening condition.
MISSICK’S DIAGNOSIS
Missick’s heart-health journey started 15 years ago when she felt a slight pinprick pain in her chest. The discomfort wouldn’t go away, so she went to the ER. Doctors ordered a routine EKG and a CT scan, suspecting a simple digestive issue. The doctors found a hernia and pulmonary hypertension, along with something else they didn’t expect: an aortic aneurysm.
The aorta carries blood and oxygen from the heart to the rest of the human body. An aortic aneurysm occurs when the pressure from blood pumping through the artery causes the wall to weaken and develop a balloon-like bulge. Dubbed the “silent killer,” an aortic aneurysm often doesn’t cause symptoms until it ruptures. In many cases, patients are unaware of their aortic aneurysm until it is too late.
For Missick, her diagnosis happened by pure chance and just in the nick of time. Had it been left undetected, the aneurysm would have grown big enough to burst. “The sense of imminent death always plagued my mind,” Missick recalled feeling after receiving her diagnosis. “I was told that if this ruptures, I’ll probably be dead before I hit the floor.”
LIFE WITH HEART DISEASE
Since her diagnosis, Missick visits her doctor every six months to monitor her aneurysm. Surgery is required once it measures 5 centimeters, and Missick’s, measuring at 4.7, doesn’t need it quite yet. In the meantime, she’s made lifestyle changes to stay on top of her health. “I joined the gym,” she said. “I decided to eat more vegetables and basically try to do a little bit more of the things I need to do.”
Missick is the proud caregiver for her family. She looks after her sister, Hyvelle, and her husband, Luellen — both of whom have heart disease. “As a person who’s very active, you feel the sense of you can do it all, and you really can’t,” Missick admits. “You’re so accustomed to being that support for everyone. You don’t know how to do it for you and allow others to be that for you.” In the end, Missick concluded, “I have to be mindful of my own heart journey.”
Missick points to her daughter, Sasha, as her source of support. “My daughter, I would say, is that support we have. She moved here from Atlanta so she can keep a closer eye on us. My daughter certainly brings us a sense of comfort.”
AN UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT
Despite living with “a time bomb in [her] chest,” as Missick describes it, her condition has not broken her spirit. “I’m generally a happy person,” she said. “It’s not hard for me to laugh and to enjoy watching a movie with my husband and to do ministry work.” Missick also goes on what she calls her “prayer walks,” which she describes as “a time where I commune with nature. I’m able to think and breathe and have my moments to talk to God, and I feel a lot more relaxed when I do that.”
Missick has turned her diagnosis into a force for good. Along with her sister, Hyvelle, she is an advocate with Heart Sistas, a support group for women with heart disease. “I post my exercise routines to our group page every day to help not only me but others to keep up our commitment to our health,” she said.
Missick’s journey is a reminder that while heart disease may loom as a silent threat, the human spirit can defy even the harshest of odds, proving that resilience, support and hope are the forces that keep us going.
CARING FOR YOUR HEART
The first step toward understanding your heart health is understanding your unique risk factors. According to Morris-Simon, risk factors fall into two categories: factors you can’t change and factors you can. “Those that are in your power to control include your diet, the amount of time you exercise, the amount of sleep that you get, how much you weigh and staying away from substances like tobacco and alcohol,” she explains. “Chronic stress plays a significant role, so it’s important to find healthy ways to decrease the stress on your system.”
Family history is a factor you can’t change, as are age, gender, race and ethnicity. “Some heart disease risk factors are genetic, such as familial high cholesterol or family history of early-onset heart attacks or sudden death,” Morris-Simon says. “It is important to be aware of these, as well as other existing conditions like hypertension and diabetes, and to make your doctor aware. That can help ensure you’re getting the right testing at the right frequency to stay on top of your numbers and ensure your treatment plan is appropriate.”
Once you understand your risk factors, the next step is having a conversation with your doctor about your heart health. Morris-Simon recommends a heart-healthy diet with a reduced intake of salt, saturated and trans fats, ultra-processed foods and red meat, combined with an increased intake of fruits and vegetables. Increasing your physical activity, even with something as simple as daily walks or taking the stairs at work, is an important way to improve your heart health and can help to control stress.
Knowing your risk factors can empower you to talk to your doctor to make the changes necessary to protect your heart. For more information on heart health and to learn about your personal heart-health risk factors, take the two-minute Bayer® Aspirin Heart Health Risk Assessment at See Your Risks* and have a conversation with your doctor about your results.
*Does not replace an assessment by a qualified health care professional about your health.