Carlos J Rodriguez | PubMed Health

PubMed2026

State of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Hispanic/Latino Adults in the United States: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Cardiovascular disease became the leading cause of death among Hispanic individuals in the United States in 2022. Hispanic adults experience a disproportionate burden of cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Hispanic populations are highly heterogeneous, with substantial variations in genetic ancestry and sociocultural influences that shape cardiovascular disease risk and outcomes. The "Hispanic paradox," describing lower cardiovascular disease mortality despite higher risk factor burden, is increasingly recognized as an oversimplification that does not apply uniformly across Hispanic heritage groups, sexes, or disease types. Disaggregated data reveal substantial differences in risk profiles and disease burden among Hispanic heritage groups, emphasizing the limitations of treating this population as a monolithic unit. Recent evidence demonstrates widening disparities in hypertension control, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic diseases among Hispanic populations, threatening this prior mortality advantage. Advancing cardiovascular and equitable health will require developing a deeper understanding of the unique drivers of cardiovascular disease within diverse Hispanic communities, addressing barriers such as language and insurance access, and implementing culturally tailored interventions and policies. This scientific statement summarizes current cardiovascular disease epidemiology in Hispanic populations, emphasizing heritage group variation and social and structural determinants of health, and presents strategies to improve prevention and healthcare delivery. Key priorities for advancing cardiovascular health in Hispanic adults include expanding disaggregated data collection, increasing representation in research, and ensuring equitable implementation of precision medicine approaches, including genomics, multi-omics, and artificial intelligence, while addressing environmental exposures, psychosocial stressors, and policy-related drivers of risk in order to achieve the American Heart Association's 2028 Impact Goals to advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere.

AHA Scientific Statements↗

PubMed2025

Heterogeneity of Apolipoprotein B Levels Among Hispanic or Latino Individuals Residing in the US.

IMPORTANCE: Apolipoprotein B (apoB) distribution and its implications as an atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk-enhancing factor among individuals of diverse Hispanic or Latino backgrounds have not been described. OBJECTIVE: To describe the distribution of apoB in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) cohort and to characterize associations of baseline sociodemographic and clinical variables with apoB and self-identified Hispanic or Latino background. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The HCHS/SOL was a prospective, population-based cohort study of diverse Hispanic or Latino adults living in the US who were recruited and screened between March 2008 and June 2011. Sampling weights were used to generate a population-based sample of Hispanic or Latino participants aged 18 to 74 years who resided in 4 US metropolitan areas (Bronx, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and San Diego, California). ApoB concentration was measured in participants from the HCHS/SOL, and apoB tertiles were compared across demographic groups, including self-identified Hispanic or Latino background. Median percentage continental genetic ancestry (West African, Amerindian, and European) was compared across apoB tertiles. EXPOSURE: ApoB measured in mg/dL from serum or plasma using an immunoturbidimetric assay. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: ApoB tertiles were determined, and traditional lipids were evaluated across apoB tertiles. ApoB and traditional lipid measurements were assessed across ASCVD risk categories. Additionally, scatterplots were created to observe correlations between apoB and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. RESULTS: Overall mean (SD) apoB concentration was 99.8 (0.4) mg/dL, with male participants displaying significantly higher mean levels than female participants (102.4 vs 97.4 mg/dL, respectively). Mean (SD) participant age was 41.1 (0.8) years, and 8376 participants (51.9%) were female. ApoB levels were higher among older age groups. There was significant heterogeneity in mean apoB concentrations across self-identified Hispanic or Latino background groups, ranging from 95.1 mg/dL in Dominican individuals to 104.8 mg/dL in Cuban individuals. The prevalence of elevated apoB (≥130 mg/dL) was greater across higher predicted ASCVD risk categories. Among participants with a 10-year predicted ASCVD risk of 7.5% or higher, 26.5% had an elevated apoB. Median West African ancestry was lower across higher tertiles of apoB. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study among participants from the HCHS/SOL, elevated apoB was present in one-quarter of a diverse cohort study of Hispanic or Latino individuals who were at intermediate or high predicted ASCVD risk. Differences in apoB distribution among Hispanic or Latino individuals may have important implications for apoB's use in ASCVD risk assessment.

Adolescent↗