Skip to main content
Journal of the National Medical Association logoLink to Journal of the National Medical Association
. 1989 May;81(5):591-5, 598-600.

Coronary artery disease in black Americans 1920-1960: the shaping of medical opinion.

R L Peniston, O S Randall
PMCID: PMC2626018  PMID: 2664198

Abstract

Current opinions regarding the prevalence of coronary artery disease in black Americans are conflicting. Some physicians believe that the prevalence of coronary artery disease in black Americans is less than that in the general population; some find no difference; still others argue that the high prevalence of risk factors, such as hypertension, should result in a higher prevalence of coronary artery disease in black Americans. This article will not attempt to resolve these conflicts but instead will review some of the medical literature that may have influenced prevailing opinions.

Full text

PDF
595

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Altschule M. D. The uncertain relation between coronary artery disease and anginal pain. Chest. 1987 Oct;92(4):739–740. doi: 10.1378/chest.92.4.739. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BLACHE J. O., HANDLER F. P. Coronary artery disease; a comparison of the rates and patterns of development of coronary arteriosclerosis in the Negro and white races with its relation to clinical coronary artery disease. Arch Pathol (Chic) 1950 Aug;50(2):189–198. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Birnie C. W. The Influence of Environment and Race on Diseases. J Natl Med Assoc. 1910 Oct;2(4):243–251. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Branch W. H. Acute Coronary Occlusion in the Negro. J Natl Med Assoc. 1941 Jan;33(1):24–25. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cobb W. M. John Beauregard Johnson, M.D., D.Sc., F.A.C.P., 1908-1972. J Natl Med Assoc. 1973 Mar;65(2):166–170. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Curry C. L., Oliver J., Mumtaz F. B. Coronary artery disease in blacks: risk factors. Am Heart J. 1984 Sep;108(3 Pt 2):653–657. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(84)90650-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Farmer H. E. The Incidence Of Heart Disease Among Negroes. J Natl Med Assoc. 1940 Sep;32(5):198–203. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gillum R. F. Coronary heart disease in black populations. I. Mortality and morbidity. Am Heart J. 1982 Oct;104(4 Pt 1):839–851. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(82)90021-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gillum R. F., Grant C. T. Coronary heart disease in black populations. II. Risk factors. Am Heart J. 1982 Oct;104(4 Pt 1):852–864. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(82)90022-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gillum R. F. The epidemiology of coronary heart disease in blacks. J Natl Med Assoc. 1985 Apr;77(4):281–284. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. JOHNSON J. B. The clinical management of acute myocardial infarction. J Natl Med Assoc. 1956 Mar;48(2):111–120. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Johnson J. B., Cross E. B. Hearts too good to die--problems in acute myocardial infarction. J Natl Med Assoc. 1967 Jan;59(1):1–6. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. KANNEL W. B., DAWBER T. R., KAGAN A., REVOTSKIE N., STOKES J., 3rd Factors of risk in the development of coronary heart disease--six year follow-up experience. The Framingham Study. Ann Intern Med. 1961 Jul;55:33–50. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-55-1-33. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. KEIL P. G., MCVAY L. V., Jr A comparative of myocardial infarction in the White and Negro races. Circulation. 1956 May;13(5):712–718. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.13.5.712. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. MIHALY J. P., WHITEMAN N. C. Myocardial infarction in the Negro; historical survey as it relates to Negroes. Am J Cardiol. 1958 Oct;2(4):464–474. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(58)90333-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mattingly T. W. Professor Wallace M. Yater--some recollections and comments on his contributions to medicine. Med Ann Dist Columbia. 1967 Sep;36(9):499–509. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Maynard C., Fisher L. D., Passamani E. R., Pullum T. Blacks in the Coronary Artery Surgery Study: risk factors and coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1986 Jul;74(1):64–71. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.74.1.64. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Neaton J. D., Kuller L. H., Wentworth D., Borhani N. O. Total and cardiovascular mortality in relation to cigarette smoking, serum cholesterol concentration, and diastolic blood pressure among black and white males followed up for five years. Am Heart J. 1984 Sep;108(3 Pt 2):759–769. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(84)90669-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Relman A. S. Texas eliminates dumping. A start toward equity in hospital care. N Engl J Med. 1986 Feb 27;314(9):578–579. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198602273140911. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. SMITH T. M. Coronary atherosclerosis in the Negro; an analysis of 155 cases. J Natl Med Assoc. 1946 Nov;38(6):193–202. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. STAMLER J. Epidemiology as an investigative method for the study of human atherosclerosis. J Natl Med Assoc. 1958 May;50(3):161–200. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Schiff R. L., Ansell D. A., Schlosser J. E., Idris A. H., Morrison A., Whitman S. Transfers to a public hospital. A prospective study of 467 patients. N Engl J Med. 1986 Feb 27;314(9):552–557. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198602273140905. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Smith T. M. Coronary Occlusion. J Natl Med Assoc. 1934 Aug;26(3):114–119. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. THOMAS J. An analysis of 317 cases of heart disease in Negroes. J Natl Med Assoc. 1946 Nov;38(6):202–205. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. THOMAS J., CALHOUN C., BALL C. O., ANDERSON R. S., MENEELY G. R. Acute myocardial infarction in ninety Negro patients: clinical manifestations and immediate mortality. Comparison with 229 similarly studied white patients. Am J Cardiol. 1961 Aug;8:178–183. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(61)90203-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wilson P. W., Savage D. D., Castelli W. P., Garrison R. J., Donahue R. P., Feinleib M. HDL-cholesterol in a sample of black adults: the Framingham Minority Study. Metabolism. 1983 Apr;32(4):328–332. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(83)90039-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. YATER W. M., TRAUM A. H. Coronary artery disease in men 18 to 39 years of age; report of 866 cases, 450 with necropsy examination. Am Heart J. 1948 Oct;36(4):481–passim. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of the National Medical Association are provided here courtesy of National Medical Association

RESOURCES