Cardiovascular Disease Now Leading Cause of Death Among Hispanic Adults in U.S.

Cardiovascular disease has replaced cancer as the leading cause of death among Hispanic adults in the United States, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association. The statement, published in the Association's flagship journal, Circulation, highlights that rising rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other risk factors—often beginning earlier in life for Hispanic people—are driving this shift. The findings have significant implications for Texas, a state with a large and growing Hispanic population, and for businesses that depend on a healthy workforce.

The statement emphasizes that social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors contribute to persistent disparities in cardiovascular health. Hispanic people represent nearly 1 in 5 of the U.S. population and are the nation's largest ethnic minority group, yet many face barriers to achieving heart health and accessing high-quality healthcare. The statement also notes important differences among Hispanic populations, including those born in the U.S. versus other countries and among specific heritage backgrounds such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central American, and South American descent.

"Hispanic populations in the U.S. are incredibly diverse even within their own communities with differences in genetic ancestry, language, cultural traditions and social experiences that can significantly influence cardiovascular health," said Johanna Contreras, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, chair of the scientific statement's volunteer writing group and director of the Division of Heart Failure and medical director of the Hispanic Heart Center within the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. "Yet Hispanic people remain underrepresented overall in the research that guides prevention and treatment strategies."

The numbers underscore the urgency. Nearly 46% of Hispanic adults have obesity, with the highest rates among Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage groups. Type 2 diabetes affects 15.5% of Hispanic adults, nearly twice the prevalence among white adults. About 44% have high blood pressure, yet awareness, treatment, and control rates remain lower than among white adults. Hispanic adults are diagnosed with heart failure about 8 to 9 years younger than white adults and experience a first stroke about 6 to 8 years younger. U.S.-born Hispanic adults have shorter life expectancy and higher death rates than their foreign-born counterparts.

Social and economic barriers play a major role. Approximately 17% of Hispanics live below the federal poverty threshold compared with 8.2% of white adults. About 41% of all Hispanic adults and 66% of older Hispanic adults have low or limited health literacy, compared with 9% of white adults. In 2023, approximately 20% of Hispanic adults remained uninsured, compared with 6.4% of white adults. These challenges accumulate over time and contribute to persistent inequities.

The statement calls for culturally tailored prevention strategies, equitable access to care, and greater representation of Hispanic populations in cardiovascular research. It recommends trusted community partnerships in settings such as churches, markets, community centers, and Spanish-language media platforms; improved access to care including bilingual health education and increased use of community health workers; and more detailed data collection across Hispanic heritage groups. "Raising awareness about these disparities is important, but awareness without access is not enough," Contreras said.

For Texas businesses, these findings signal a need to consider employee health and healthcare access as economic factors. A healthier Hispanic workforce can reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and lower healthcare costs. As the Hispanic population continues to grow and age, improving cardiovascular health in these communities will be critical to the nation's overall health and economic vitality. The American Heart Association provides resources such as Life's Essential 8™ to help individuals improve heart health. More information is available at heart.org.