The median household income in the United States is significantly lower for African Americans than for whites and health coverage, an important indicator for access to care, is also lower among blacks (23). Low socio-economic status is clearly associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetes and overall poorer cardiovascular health (23). NHANES I data (5) also demonstrated that the incidence of coronary artery bypass grafting, coronary angioplasty, cardiac catheterization or coronary angiography was significantly reduces in African Americans compared to white Americans. For any of these procedures, the rates were 47.0 per 1000 persons in white persons compared with 25.6 per 1000 persons in African American persons (5).