To the editor -- Let me be precise: Heart disease can and should be eradicated, but until wealth is evenly distributed in America, there will continue to be a systematic failure for those who are poor.

Just because someone is poor doesn't mean they deserve to die; a healthy heart is a right, not a privilege.

On the other hand, "Affluent people have far better access to quality health care than those living in poverty, and they are better able to afford medication. They are also more likely to live in healthier neighborhoods, eat healthier foods, outsource stressful activities such as caregiving for old parents, and partake in aerobic exercise." (Dr. Haider Warraich, 2020).

Being affluent is clearly the best preventative care for combatting heart disease. However, the solution shouldn't be to make more money but to implement those healthy choices and environments in wealthy neighborhoods into low-income communities often made up of people of color. Redlining created a discriminatory home ownership policy that limited rich, nice neighborhoods to white folks only -- restricting people of color from having access to better living conditions.

The effects of redlining are still prevalent in today's society, for those living in these areas experiencing an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension and early mortality.

ALEXIA MENDOZA

Sunnyside