Heart Failure in Hispanic Americans: Improving Cultural Awareness

• We describe the unique risk factors related to heart failure in Hispanic Americans.
• We discuss barriers that Hispanics encounter in obtaining care for their heart failure.
• Interventions that reflect cultural awareness and support competent care offered by the advanced practice nurse are identified.

Hispanic Americans are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. Hispanic Americans have high rates of heart failure (HF) risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, obstructive sleep disorders, and dyslipidemia. Certain unique HF risk factors prominent among Hispanic Americans are uncommon in the general population, such as younger onset of valvular disease and Chagas disease. Advanced practice nurses providing care to Hispanic Americans have an ethical obligation to provide culturally competent care and assist these patients in overcoming barriers to health care so that they can effectively manage their HF.