b'C E N T E R F O R R E S I L I E N C ED 3 I SI A G N O SHEART DISEASEH igh blood pressure, one of most critical risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), is estimated to affect more than 100 million Americans. Among U.S. adults taking antihypertensive medication, 53% have uncontrolled blood pressure.Individuals with high blood pressure (HBP) compared to those without HBP face on average nearly $2000 more in annual healthcare expenses. Black adults are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure and CVD compared to Whites. On average, Black men and women have 50% higher rates of hypertension, are less likely to control their hypertension (48% in Blacks vs. 56% in Whites), and are 33% more likely to die from heart disease than Whites. It is now widely acknowledged that systemic and interpersonal racism, as social determinants of health, causes psychosocial stress, which contributes to the disproportionate hypertension and cardiovascular disease in Blacks. According to a recent review of CVD health disparities published in JAMA, there is an urgent need to identify effective interventions to address these disparities. 22'