Review Article
Cardiovascular Disease Risk amongst African Black Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Need for Population Specific Stratification
Table 1
The epidemiological health transition stages and their characteristics.
| Stage | Circumstance | Environmental factors and related CVD risk factors | CVD events |
| 1 | Living in rural area | Infections and nutritional deficiencies | Rheumatic heart disease and cardiomyopathy | 2 | Early urbanization | Reduced infection and improved nutrition, psychosocial stress, and hypertension | Heart failure and hemorrhagic stroke | 3 | More advanced urbanization | Lifestyle changes: increased fat intake, cigarette smoking, and inactivity | Atherosclerotic CVD and ischemic stroke at young age | 4 | Established urbanization | Improved health care and CVD prevention | CVD and stroke in the elderly |
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CVD: cardiovascular disease.
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