Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) consists of disorders involving the heart and blood vessels, such as heart attacks and strokes. It is the most prevalent cause of death globally, impacting millions each year. However, women have a different and dangerous challenge when it comes to CVD: gender bias in diagnosis and treatment. The symptoms of CVD can vary, but they typically include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and exhaustion. Despite advances in medicine, lifestyle changes, medicines, and surgical procedures remain the primary treatments for CVD. However, a big issue remains: how CVD is regarded and treated in men versus women.

According to PubMed Central, “CVDs have been commonly perceived as ‘men’s disease’ and this misconception has contributed to under-diagnosis and treatment for women worldwide. In comparison to men, women are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed with a heart attack, even though they carry the same risk of developing CVD as men. It has been known for over two decades that women experience CVDs differently to men, yet both genders are still considered the same by healthcare professionals despite the presence of gender-specific requirements in many guidelines.”Due to the significant discrepancies in healthcare resulting from this long-standing bias, women are more likely to experience difficulties or even pass away. In medical settings, women are often ignored despite experiencing different heart attack symptoms than men, such as back pain, jaw discomfort, and nausea.

Further evidence highlights the disparity in treatment. A magazine published by Harvard Health Publishing stated, “One 2022 study found that women who came to the emergency department with chest pain had to wait an average of 11 minutes longer to see a doctor or nurse than men who described similar symptoms.” When it comes to heart disease, when every minute counts, medical delays can be disastrous. Additionally, “earlier studies have shown that women are also less likely to be referred for diagnostic tests to check for coronary artery disease, the underlying cause of most heart attacks, or to be referred to a specialist.” Due to these challenges, many women fail to receive the life-saving treatment they require because their symptoms are not given the proper consideration they deserve.

While some might assume that men are at a higher risk for heart attacks, recent research by the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences challenges this notion. “Recently, an analysis of the VIRGO (Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients) study has shed more light on this matter, revealing that women have an 11% lower chance of experiencing a myocardial infarction than men.” This suggests that while men may have a slightly higher risk of heart attacks, women are significantly more at risk when they do experience CVD due to current biases in diagnosis and treatment.

This gender disparity in cardiovascular care needs to be addressed. To guarantee that women receive equal attention in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease, patients, healthcare professionals, and legislators must collaborate. Raising awareness is the first step. The healthcare system shouldn't treat people differently because of heart disease.

Sources:

• https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10945154/
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-heart-disease-gender-gap
• https://www.phc.ox.ac.uk/blog/gender-bias-in-the-diagnosis-of-cardiovascular-disorders