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(Stroke. 1998;29:2-3.)
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.

Editorial

Are There Differences in Vascular Disease Between Ethnic and Racial Groups?

Askiel Bruno, MD

From the Cerebrovascular Program, Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.

Correspondence to Askiel Bruno, MD, Neurology Department, 541 Clinical Dr, Room 365, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202-5111.

Key Words: genetics • racial differences • stroke • ethnic groups • vascular diseases

The study of disease differences between ethnic and racial groups is complicated by the genetic, environmental, and cultural heterogeneity within each group. Despite these complications, the study of well-defined groups of people can yield medical information useful to improve health in these groups. For example, moyamoya disease has a predilection for Japanese people, the incidence of stroke is higher in blacks than in whites,¹ and occlusive cerebrovascular lesions are more likely to be intracranial in blacks than whites.^{2 3 4} This information can be used to optimize risk factor screening and management, acute stroke treatment, and secondary stroke prevention in the various ethnic and racial groups.

Relatively little is known about cerebrovascular disease in Hispanics and Native Americans in the southwestern United States. Hispanics constitute 9.0% of the US population according to the 1990 US census, and a large majority of them live in the southwestern United States. The ancestors of the Hispanics in the southwestern United States are mainly the settlers and conquerors who came from Spain starting in the 16th century. Since their arrival in the southern part of North America, there has been cultural and genetic interaction between the Spanish and the various Native American tribes living in this region. The Hispanics who relatively recently immigrated from Mexico to the southwestern United States have a similar ancestry.

Differences in vascular risks have been measured between US Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. US Hispanics appear to have a lower prevalence and severity of arterial hypertension and lower levels of serum cholesterol . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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