CVD Becomes Leading Cause of Death in US Hispanic Adults

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) became the leading cause of death among Hispanic individuals in the United States in 2022, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) published in Circulation.

The writing group said Hispanic adults carry a disproportionate burden of cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, and that Hispanic populations are highly heterogeneous, with genetic ancestry and sociocultural factors varying widely across heritage groups. The statement said the "Hispanic paradox"—lower CVD mortality despite higher risk-factor burden—is increasingly recognized as an oversimplification that does not hold uniformly across heritage groups, sexes, or disease types.

Citing NHANES 2021–2023 data, the statement reported hypertension prevalence of 51.5% in Hispanic men and 37.3% in Hispanic women, and diagnosed diabetes in 11.7% and 14.3%, respectively. About 46% of Hispanic adults have obesity, with the highest rates among those of Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage. Diabetes is diagnosed roughly 6.9 years earlier, on average, in Mexican American adults than in non-Hispanic White adults, and mean age at first stroke is about 6 to 8 years younger, per the statement.

The authors also noted disparities in care: Hispanic adults with coronary artery disease have lower rates of angiography and revascularization, and those with acute ischemic stroke are less likely to receive thrombolysis or thrombectomy. Only 5.8% of US cardiologists identify as Hispanic, and about 20% of Hispanic adults were uninsured in 2023, versus 6.4% of White adults, the statement said.

The writing group recommended expanding disaggregated data collection by heritage group and increasing inclusion of Hispanic individuals in large-scale genomic studies, noting that underrepresentation of Hispanic populations in multi-omics research remains a barrier to translating findings into care. The statement also called for addressing algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence tools trained on underrepresented populations, as well as culturally and linguistically concordant care and workforce diversification, to advance the AHA's 2028 Impact Goals.

Source: Contreras J, Aguilar D, Bravo-Jaimes K, et al; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention et al. State of cardiovascular disease and stroke in Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. Published online September 15, 2026.doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001463