Professor André Ng
President, British Cardiovascular Society
A landmark consensus in Heart1 (BCS/BMJ) confirmed that, despite heart disease being the leading cause of death in women, they remain underdiagnosed, undertreated and underrepresented in all aspects of care.
The article showed that women are less likely to receive life-saving treatment in an emergency, less likely to be given medication to prevent a heart attack or stroke and less likely to have their heart issues taken seriously. Women are also treated based on evidence gained from male-only research studies, whereas their symptoms and treatment needs can be different.
Heart disease prevention in women
Together, the group of authors from across the British Cardiovascular Society and our affiliated societies, led by Professor Vijay Kunadian of Newcastle University, proposes a series of over 50 measures across the different disease areas to improve women’s access to diagnosis, treatment and preventive care. These far-reaching measures will address all levels of the issue, from broad-based awareness campaigns to prevent heart disease and help women recognise their own risks to changing the way healthcare staff approach signs and symptoms more prevalent in women.
Healthcare professionals will
need training to become more
attuned to women’s specific needs.
Women-centred research and training
Specific recommendations include ensuring women are included in research studies and undertaking some women-only studies; identifying areas of practice where heart disease may present differently in women; reducing waiting times for tests and treatment; researching the right doses of drugs for women; and extra training for healthcare staff on heart disease in pregnant and menopausal women.
Importantly, the statement calls for a ‘holistic woman-centred approach to heart care that listens to and incorporates women’s experiences and insights’ and information that is tailored to the needs of women. It highlights heart conditions that predominantly or exclusively affect women. Healthcare professionals will need training to become more attuned to women’s specific needs, including women’s cardiac symptoms.
Women’s hearts matter
The final recommendation is that ‘every woman should feel that her heart matters.’ It will take time and effort to redress the balance in women’s cardiovascular health, but we are committed to making that a reality.
[1] Tayal U, et al. Advancing the access to cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment among women with cardiovascular disease: a joint British Cardiovascular Societies’ consensus document. Heart 2024;110:e3-e15.
