Ethnic Differences in Cardiovascular Disease

eople of non-European origin form around 7% of the total UK population. Most of these are of South Asian (that is, from the Indian subcontinent) or Black African (that is, from the Caribbean and West Africa) descent. For these migrants, as for virtually all population groups living in the western world, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death. But there are striking ethnic differences in CVD risk. Disease presentation may differ, challenging diagnostic skills, and therapeutic requirements and responses may also not be uniform. The study of ethnic differences in CVD has provided valuable aetiological clues, not just for ethnic minority groups but also for the majority population.