29 December 2025
By Fritz Esker
Contributing Writer
The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) released a survey in November highlighting a widespread and significant gap in awareness in cardiovascular and cholesterol health, with particularly distressing statistics for communities of color.
The findings are especially noteworthy considering heart disease is the number one killer of Black Louisianians.
The survey stated that 45 percent of adults in the Southern United States are unaware of the difference between “good” and “bad” cholesterol. One in five southerners have heard of the two types but cannot distinguish between them. Only 36 percent of respondents knew their own cholesterol levels, but that number dropped to 30 percent among Hispanic respondents and 29 percent among Black respondents.
The survey also emphasized another problem: “cardiology deserts.”
One in four adults travels 10-20 miles to see a heart specialist, with higher rates in Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi. Twenty-eight percent of Louisiana residents are in rural areas, and live an average of 10.5 miles away from the nearest hospital. Twenty-two percent of respondents tried but could not secure a cardiology appointment. Nearly one in five Black and Hispanic adults reported never having received a cardiovascular screening.
Dr. Keith Ferdinand, ABC spokesperson and professor of medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine, said the obstacles facing Black residents regarding cardiology care are multifaceted. He said the major issues are where people live (rural areas having a lack of convenient options), access to primary care and the ability to afford insurance. As an example, he said many Black people work in the service industry, which means they are likely to have no insurance or be under-insured.
“People without insurance cannot save up enough money to have ongoing care, especially for specialists like cardiologists,” Dr. Ferdinand said. Even some people with insurance face significant barriers to care in the form of high deductibles and out-of-pocket limits.
Dr. Ferdinand said institutional racism also plays a role. Bias may not be purposeful among doctors, but it still happens and is difficult to change. Some Black patients feel disrespected or talked down to by doctors and are thus reluctant to pursue continuous care.
“We (doctors) all have blind spots in how we deliver care,” Dr. Ferdinand said.
The Association of Black Cardiologists (abcardio.org) has resources on its website to empower Black citizens to proactively care for their hearts. The resources are written in a culturally appropriate, accessible manner with the goal of helping patients educate themselves and advocate for themselves. They offer seven steps to better heart health.
The first step is to access health care resources and educational materials. Visit websites like healthcare.gov for insurance information, read any brochures about various conditions offered at the doctor’s office and research public clinics available in your area if you have trouble affording healthcare.
The second step is taking charge of your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to fatal heart attacks and strokes, but many people who suffer from high blood pressure feel fine and are unaware they have it. Two of five Black adults have high blood pressure. One in ten Black youths has elevated blood pressure. Get blood pressure screenings yearly. If you have high blood pressure, monitor it more often. At-home blood pressure monitors are relatively inexpensive and easy to find at drug stores.
The third step is to control your cholesterol. High cholesterol can lead to hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart disease. People should also be aware of the difference between HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Health care providers can do a blood test to gauge cholesterol levels.
The fourth step is tracking your blood sugar. If there is too much sugar in your blood, that can result in diabetes, which can also contribute to a wide variety of health issues, including heart problems. Black Americans are 60 percent more likely than white Americans to have diabetes. Many people do not realize they are diabetic until serious health complications arise, but blood tests from a healthcare provider can spot it early.
The fifth step is to stop all tobacco consumption. A person’s risk of heart disease will drop within a day of quitting smoking. 1-800-QUIT-NOW and smokefree.gov can offer free, helpful advice.
The sixth step is eating healthy and getting regular exercise. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, legumes and nuts are all good parts of a healthy diet. Staying active, even if it’s just vigorous walking, can lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
The seventh step is to be spiritually active and reduce stress. While it may be impossible to fully avoid stress in life, reaching out to others and forming community connections like those in places of worship, can reduce stress, which can reduce blood pressure.
This article originally published in the December 29, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.