Mystery of the Female Heart

Female heart disease is the leading cause of death among women and claims more lives than all forms of cancer combined.1

The hopeful news is 80 percent of cardiac events are prevented with education and lifestyle changes. For women, here is what you should know:

1. Signs of a cardio-crisis can be different in females than in males. Women can experience different symptoms than men.2

2. Females continue to be underrepresented in cardiovascular research. They also experience inequities in care, which include longer wait times.3

3. Females make up less than half of all clinical trials for cardiovascular medications. Globally, women of color participate in only 3% of clinical trials in heart treatments.4 

4. Biological differences between males and females are not adequately accounted for in studies that provide the foundation in treating heart disease.5 6

5. Research show women are more likely to survive a heart attack if their doctor is female. But in today’s workforce, women are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics by 25%. 78

ABOUT GO RED FOR WOMEN

Go Red for Women is a national movement to end heart disease and stroke led by the American Heart Association. Each year in February, it's Heart Awareness Month in the United States.

References:

¹ Benjamin EJ, Muntner P, Alonso A, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics - 2019 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. E259.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000659 Published January 31, 2019. 

[2] Liu KA, DiPietro Mager NA. Women’s involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications. Pharmacy Practice 2016 Jan-Mar;14(1):708. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4800017/

[3] Liakos, M. & Parikh, P.B. Gender disparities in presentation, management, and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction. Curr Cardiol Rep (2018) 20: 64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-018-1006-7

[4] 2015-2016 Global Participation in Clinical Trials Report. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/InformationOnDrugs/UCM570195.pdf (Pages 11,14)

[5]Liu KA, DiPietro Mager NA. Women’s involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications. Pharmacy Practice 2016 Jan-Mar;14(1):708. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4800017/

[6]2015-2016 Global Participation in Clinical Trials Report. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/InformationOnDrugs/UCM570195.pdf (Pages 11,14)

[7] Greenwood BN, Carnahan S, Huang L. Patient-physician gender concordance and increased mortality among female heart attack patients. PNAS. http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/07/31/1800097115 Published August 6, 2018.

[8] Economics and Statistics Administration, United States Department of Commerce. (2017) Women in STEM: 2017 Update. Page 1 https://www.commerce.gov/news/fact-sheets/2017/11/women-stem-2017-update Published November 13, 2017.

[9] Benjamin EJ, Muntner P, Alonso A, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics - 2019 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. E259. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000659 Published January 31, 2019. (page 204)