Dr. Kim A. Williams joined us on our Online Education Platform back in June to discuss Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Ethnic Disparities, Covid-19 Mortality, and Nutrition. This was only available to members within the platform but we wanted to release this data and presentation for everyone to hear. If you want to join us at other live events like this one please join our Online Education Platform at https://membership.pbnsg.org.

Based on preliminary U.S. data, persons with underlying health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, appear to be at higher risk for severe COVID-19 associated disease than persons without these conditions. Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease, particularly among younger patients. Under 60, obesity was twice as likely to result in hospitalization for COVID-19 and also significantly increased the likelihood that a person would end up in intensive care. Obesity [in people 60 years or older] appears to be a previously unrecognized risk factor for hospital admission and need for critical care. This has important and practical implications when nearly 40% of adults in the US are obese with a body mass index of at least 30. The greater prevalence of risk factors and obesity, due to nutrition and lifestyle, in African Americans puts this population at much greater risk of both pandemics: CV mortality and COVID-19 serious illness and death.

Dr. Williams is Chief of the Division of Cardiology at Rush University and specializes in cardiology, prevention and cardiac imaging. He has served on numerous national committees and boards including serving as the President of the American College of Cardiology, President of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Black Cardiologists. He is also the founder of the Urban Cardiology Initiative in Detroit, Michigan to reduce ethnic heart care disparities, and continues community-based efforts in Chicago at Rush.

His current professional focus is on preventive cardiology, specializing in synthesizing data on cardiovascular risk and mortality due to nutrition. He has become a nationally and internationally recognized speaker, including over 200 publications, online resources, movies and lectures on the topic of cardio nutrition. He was recently awarded lifetime achievement recognition from ASNC as its 2018 Mario Verani Lecturer and the German Cardiac Society as its 2019 Gold Key Recipient and Keynote Lecturer.

A native of Chicago’s South Side, Dr. Williams has over 30 years of experience as an educator, researcher, and physician.

_________

Learn more about Dr. Kim A. Williams at https://doctors.rush.edu/details/1728/?utm_source=listing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=yext&y_source=1_ODg0NjU0NC03MTUtbG9jYXRpb24uZ29vZ2xlX3dlYnNpdGVfb3ZlcnJpZGU%3D

_________

Learn more about us at https://www.pbnsg.org