Cardiovascular Health in Africans Living in the United States

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally as well as in the United States. African-born immigrants comprise one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States. Despite differences in culture, lifestyle, psychosocial issues, diet, and birth environment, African-born immigrants are often categorized with African Americans and other foreign-born blacks in studies attempting to define CVD risk in blacks. This review examines the very few studies that have attempted to separately characterize the cardiovascular health of this unique group, particularly as it relates to the African continent. Concurrently, cardiovascular disease and risk factors are compared between African-born immigrants and African Americans—the larger umbrella term that covers most persons of African descent in the United States, regardless of place of birth.