evidence: Heart disease deaths vary by sex, race, and ethnicity Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. These include African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, and White men. For women from the Pacific Islands and Asian American, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic women, heart disease is second only to cancer.1 [...] Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including: