A new study reveals the stark difference between heart diseases in men and women. As per the study, they are often overlooked in women. Read to find out more.
Heart diseases in women, just as common in men
A new study by the American Heart Association (AHA) warns that critical inductors of heart diseases in women are more often overlooked in women than in men due to their subtleness. There is no proof that women develop heart disorders much later than men. However, the study states women are generally diagnosed later in life. Suggesting, that when the treatment begins, female patients are in more advanced stages and have poorer health.
According to a Daily Mail report, earlier studies allege medical complaints by women get less attention compared to men. The situation leads to dire consequences as heart disease is one of the biggest causes of death for women in the US. However, only one-fifth of primary care physicians and 42 percent of cardiologists believe they can accurately assess heart health in women.
More on the study
While most women fear breast cancer, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states death from heart ailments are just as likely in women as in men. However, the CDC also believes that 20 percent of American women will suffer death due to heart failure. A 2018 British study also highlights medical professionals’ failure in recognising heart attacks in women. The study states this is the reason for the higher mortality rate in women.
“It’s still the case that women are often diagnosed with illnesses later than they would have been diagnosed if they were men,” stated Christopher Lee. Lee is a nurse scientist and the associate dean of research at Boston College. “Symptoms are a big part of how we assess a patient. But at the same time, there’s a lot that we still don’t understand. About the variability of symptoms in the same condition across different individuals” stated Megan Streur. Streur is a nurse practitioner at the UW Medical Center’s Heart Institute.
