Racial differences in arterial stiffness and microcirculatory function between Black and White Americans.

Introduction Despite an overall trend toward decreasing mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) over recent decades in the United States, blacks continue to experience disproportionately higher CVD morbidity and mortality when compared with whites. 1 These observations are only partly explained by a higher prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and tobacco use among blacks. 2 – 3 Assessments of subclinical disease in microcirculation and in large arteries by vascular function testing may provide valuable insights into the etiology of this health disparity.

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