Heart Disease Among Women Still Under-Recognized

LAS VEGAS—Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer among women, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined, reports the American Heart Association (AHA). Yet, this fatal disease remains an under-recognized health issue for women.

Jeffrey P. Levine, MD, MPH, professor and director of women’s health programs in the department of family medicine and community health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, will discuss this topic in the afternoon session titled, “Women and Heart Disease: Special Issues in Cardiometabolic Risk.”

Progress has been made in the awareness, treatment, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases in women. However, Levine said that patients and clinicians “still lack awareness.” While recommendations for preventing cardiovascular disease are similar for men and women, there are certain risk factors unique to women, and they may respond differently to prevention interventions. Cardiovascular disease may also present differently in women. “The patient or clinician may not recognize the symptoms and women are often delayed in receiving interventions,” added Levine.

“Very often we spend so much time on gynecologic issues that we don’t address diet, exercise, weight, and blood pressure,” he said.

 In 2011, the AHA published updated guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. The guidelines outline approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention for women with hypertension, lipid abnormalities, and diabetes. Levine, who will review the guidelines, said recommendations also include a heart-healthy diet, screening for depression, and using cardiovascular disease risk stratification.

Along with educating women on the importance of healthy lifestyle changes, identifying women at risk for cardiovascular disease and implementing appropriate evidence-based prevention strategies is an important component in treating this patient population, according to Levine. Furthermore, he recommends that clinicians keep up with the latest research regarding the effects of hormone therapy on cardiovascular risk.

- Eileen Koutnik-Fotopoulos