Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has now surpassed 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 (AHA) published in Circulation. The report highlights a growing burden of cardiometabolic risk factors, with nearly 46% of Hispanic adults living with obesity, 15.5% having type 2 diabetes, and approximately 44% having high blood pressure. These risk factors may develop at younger ages and contribute to earlier cardiovascular complications. Hispanic adults are diagnosed with heart failure approximately 8–9 years earlier and experience a first stroke about 6–8 years earlier than White adults. The report also notes important differences among Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central American, and South American populations, as well as between U.S.-born and foreign-born Hispanic adults.

      Beyond traditional medical risk factors, the statement emphasizes the influence of social, economic, environmental, and cultural conditions on cardiovascular health. Dietary quality remains a concern, with fewer than 2% of Hispanic adults meeting recommended sodium intake goals and fewer than 10% meeting healthy-fat recommendations. Nearly one-third report no moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time physical activity, while approximately one-third sleep fewer than seven hours per night. Access to healthcare is another major challenge: about 20% of Hispanic adults were uninsured in 2023, while approximately 41% have low or limited health literacy. Language differences, food insecurity, socioeconomic disadvantage, and other barriers can further complicate prevention and management of chronic disease.

      The AHA statement therefore calls for a broader approach to cardiovascular prevention that combines clinical care with culturally appropriate health education, community-based partnerships, improved healthcare access, greater participation of Hispanic populations in research, and attention to the social conditions that shape health. The authors also emphasize that Hispanic populations are highly diverse and that prevention strategies should account for differences in cultural background, language, ancestry, and lived experiences rather than applying a single approach to all communities.