Heart Failure Strikes Black Americans Almost 14 Years Earlier Than White Americans

Key Takeaways

Black Americans receive a diagnosis of heart failure an average of nearly 14 years earlier than white Americans

Social and medical factors work together to create this disparity, and societal change is needed to close the gap

Prevention efforts targeting Black communities may be needed to reduce heart failure rates

TUESDAY, Sept. 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Disparities in education and access to insurance mean that heart failure hits Black American adults nearly 14 years earlier than it does white Americans, new research shows.

Among Black patients, heart failure typically sets in at about 60 years of age, compared to 73.6 on average for white patients.

The study, conducted by researchers at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, tracked the health records of more than 42,0