It’s a startling statistic but it’s one that has persisted for several years. African-American women have one of the highest risks for heart disease. Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more black women than all forms of cancer, accidents, assaults and Alzheimer’s Disease combined, according to the American Heart Association.

As we know, February is American Heart Month, and through education, lifestyle modification, and programmatic support, we can turn the tide on these statistics for our most vulnerable patients. Share this story with your patients of a young African-American woman from Chicago who turned her health around after being diagnosed with hypertension during pregnancy.

According to Target: BP^TM, a national initiative formed by the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association, nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure and many don’t even know they have it. Target: BP helps health care organizations and care teams, at no cost, improve BP control rates through an evidence-based quality improvement program and recognizes organizations committed to improving BP control. Consider joining Target: BP today.