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Young Blacks Can Take Lesson from Vandross Death

By Joi Gilliam
Black College Wire

Singer Luther Vandross was 54 when he died July 1 as the result of complications from a stroke he suffered two years ago.

Photo credit: National Cancer Institute Experts say watching what you eat is key to preventing strokes.

Strokes typically attack those over age 65, but they occur in people Vandross' age -- and to young people. A study released by the American Stroke Association found that young black people between ages 20 and 44 are more at risk than young white people.

Strokes are 2.4 times more likely to happen to young African Americans compared with other young people, according to the association.

Dr. Richard P. Benson, program director with the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, said young people who suffer from strokes may have cardiac abnormalities or infections, or use illicit drugs.

There are two types of strokes. An Ischemic stroke is caused by blood clots in the brain. A Hemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding within or around the brain and can sometimes lead to an aneurysm or artery rupture in the brain.

Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease are all risk factors.

Some 18,000 black people die from strokes each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. African Americans are more at risk because these risk factors are more prevalent in the black community. For instance, heart disease and diabetes are the leading causes of death among black people, and one in three suffers from hypertension.

Coincidentally, each risk factor can be the result of another. Obesity can lead to diabetes; high blood pressure and cholesterol can lead to heart disease. However, each risk factor can be prevented. Organizations such as the American Stroke Association, as well as doctors and people familiar with strokes, recommend that young people take action now to stay healthy later.

Eunice White of Waldorf, Md., is familiar with the effects of stroke risk factors. Her husband, David White, died in 2000 at age 67. White said her husband suffered from a series of small strokes before having a massive one.

�He had diabetes and high blood pressure. He wasn�t so much overweight, but exercise and losing weight is a really very important issue,� she said.

White advises young people to go to the doctor often, especially if any of the risk factors runs in their families. �Go to the doctor regularly. Go for a yearly checkup so that all of those things can be monitored, so if they get out of control or if you start to develop something, the doctor can catch it before it gets out of hand,� she said.

Benson advised young African Americans to take action now to help prevent some of the risk factors.

�If young people develop good habits such as exercising and watching what they eat early in life, as they get older, they can pretty much coast through the rest of their life because they won�t have developed these diseases that increase their risk,� he said.

Furthermore, Benson said young people should stay away from heavy alcohol consumption, illicit drugs and smoking. Young women on birth control especially should not smoke.

Benson said the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes was working on a stroke prevention program designed to educate young people on preventing strokes while they are young as well as when they get older and strokes are more prevalent.

Myra Jemison, 26, a Jackson State University graduate and University of Georgia graduate student, said her grandfather died from complications from a stroke and her grandmother is paralyzed as the result of a massive stroke.

She said she was taking precautionary measures to prevent strokes as she gets older, �My general practitioner is familiar with my family history, so I go for yearly checkups. My family history does give me a little more drive to make sure I take care of myself, but I would probably be vigilant anyway, since strokes are such a major problem among African Americans,� she said.

Benson said prevention was as simple as exercising for 30 minutes three times a week and watching what you eat. �Stroke is a preventable disease,� he emphasized.

Joi Gilliam is a student at Howard University.

Posted July 13, 2005