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A new AHA scientific statement in Circulation reveals that CVD became the leading cause of death among Hispanic Americans in 2022, overtaking cancer. The report highlights wide variation in risk factors across Hispanic subgroups and calls out major gaps in care access, language barriers, and clinical trial representation. One key message: the "Hispanic paradox" — the idea that Hispanics have lower CVD mortality despite higher risk — no longer holds across all groups.
A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published in Circulation, sounds the alarm on cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Hispanic Americans — the fastest-growing ethnic minority in the U.S. CVD surpassed cancer as the leading cause of death in this population in 2022, driven by widening disparities in risk factor recognition, treatment access, and healthcare engagement. Critically, the statement challenges the long-held "Hispanic paradox," which suggested that Hispanic individuals had lower CVD mortality despite higher risk burdens — a generalization that does not hold across all subgroups.
The report emphasizes that "Hispanic" is not a monolithic identity. Risk profiles vary significantly by heritage: Mexican Americans face higher rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, Puerto Ricans are more prone to hypertension and early cerebrovascular events, while Cuban and Dominican Americans show elevated rates of hypercholesterolemia and smoking. Hispanic women carry a particularly heavy burden — 71% have at least one CV risk factor — and face higher rates of PCOS, early menopause, and maternal mortality. MI and stroke may also present up to 8 years earlier in this population compared to white peers.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Structural barriers — language gaps, limited insurance, poverty, and fear of immigration enforcement — are keeping millions from preventive care. The statement calls for culturally sensitive outreach, community health workers, equitable referral practices, and greater inclusion of Hispanic patients in clinical trials to close these dangerous gaps.
