Objectives:

1. Review the variances in the natural history of heart failure in African Americans

2. Elucidate an underlying mechanism that links hypertension to left ventricular systolic dysfunction as a sole etiology of heart failure

3. Define the genetic markers associated with increased risk for heart failure in African Americans and unique responsiveness to certain evidence based therapies

4. Explore the mechanisms of community based interventions that may lead to better heart failure outcomes