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New data suggests that Black women who experience high blood pressure before the age of 35 may be at risk of having a stroke during middle age.
A new study conducted by Boston University associate professor, Dr. Hugo Aparicio, found that Black women with high blood pressure under the age of 35 were three times more likely to develop a stroke by the time they reached middle age, NBC News reported.
The study
Aparicio and his team analyzed the data of nearly 47,000 women in the Black Women’s Health Study to find the shocking discovery. The database tracked the health of Black women beginning in 1995. All of the participants were carefully monitored over a 23-year-long timeframe.
Interestingly, at the beginning of the study, Aparicio noticed that all the women were stroke-free. The researchers examined the age at which women developed high blood pressure, determined by the initiation of treatment, and also investigated whether they experienced a stroke during the study period.
At the end of the study, Aparicio and his team found that Black women who experienced high blood pressure before the age of 35 faced a 3.1-fold increased risk of having a stroke by middle age. Those developing high blood pressure before 45 were at double the risk of having a stroke —2.2 times higher to be exact. Black women with high blood pressure between the ages of 45 and 64 were 1.69 times greater risk of facing the disparity. They noted that the risk was particularly high compared to the other races.
“The message needs to go out that hypertension and stroke are not diseases of the elderly,” Aparicio said of the findings.”These are things that can happen to younger people — and that Black women in particular have to be aware of the increased risk and advocate for themselves.”
Why are Black people more prone to strokes?
The biological and genetic factors that are responsible for Black people’s increased risk of stroke are not clear, but Black Americans have a higher number of risk factors and healthcare challenges that may contribute to the disparity.
Black individuals tend to have higher rates of hypertension, a significant risk factor for strokes. Diabetes is another risk factor for strokes, and the prevalence of diabetes is higher among some Black populations. Socioeconomic factors, including limited access to healthcare, can play a role. Lack of healthcare and limited medical resources can lead to undiagnosed or untreated conditions that contribute to stroke risk in the Black community.
Sadly, Black women are twice as likely as their white counterparts to suffer a stroke and 50% more likely to have high blood pressure, according to the U.S. Office of Minority Health. In 2019, African Americans were 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than their white counterparts.
Prioritizing a healthy diet, limiting salt, and increasing exercise can reduce the risk of a stroke. Black individuals who are at a greater risk of developing a stroke should monitor their blood pressure levels at home or through frequent medical screenings, officials said.
Snoop Dogg’s 24-year-old daughter, Cori Broadus, was diagnosed with a stroke in January.
The new study comes just a few weeks after Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s 24-year-old daughter, revealed she had a severe stroke. The aspiring singer was hospitalized.
On Jan. 18, the “Do My Thang” artist took to Instagram to inform fans about the health scare. Broadus told netizens that she was shocked by the diagnosis due to her young age.
”Like, I’m only 24. What did I do in my past to deserve all of this?” she wrote at the time.
On Jan. 29, the burgeoning songstress gave fans an update, noting that her health was on the mend. In a series of Instagram Story posts, Broadus shared some of the warning signs she experienced before her severe stroke hit, according to People.
The star said she had blurry vision, nausea, fatigue, and a “really bad headache pain” on the right side of her head the day before she was hospitalized for the condition. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sudden numbness, trouble speaking, and speech difficulty are also common signs that women tend to experience before a stroke hits.
In a subsequent post, she noted that her blood pressure soared to 170, which is extremely dangerous and another warning sign associated with the severe condition. An average blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg, the CDC notes.
“Listen to your body [for real,]” Cori penned. “I’m glad I’m still here and able to tell my story.”
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