Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Morehouse School of Medicine. “Over time, the heart can no longer keep up with what the body needs.”
“Even though I don’t suffer from heart failure, when I found out about this disparity, I knew I had to get involved and help educate my community about the burden of heart failure for African Americans,” said Shaquille O’Neal, Basketball Hall of Famer, former professional basketball player and sports analyst. “I’ve learned that there are not only specific risk factors in African Americans but also treatment options that offer them specific benefits. I’m partnering with Arbor to motivate African Americans living with heart failure to talk to their doctor and ensure they’re doing everything they can to take care of their health.”
According to www.ShaqGetsReal.com, the campaign’s website was created to provide answers to African American heart failure patients and healthcare providers, an educational video series featuring Shaquille O’Neal and details about the Shaq BiDil Access Program.
The Shaq BiDil Access Program brings together a set of savings options that ensures reasonable access to the treatment, BiDil® (isosorbide dinitrate/hydralazine hydrochloride), the first heart failure medication indicated for self-identified African American patients with heart failure.9 BiDil® is a vasodilator that boosts the supply of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide causes vasodilation, which widens and relaxes blood vessels in the body.
Due to socio-economic factors and cultural differences, disease disparities between