Women’s Heart Beats For Europe

Friday, 29 January 2010 00:00

Women suffer for heart disease in term of prevalence of deaths and of disability more than men. In view of this, there is a clear case for EU to step up action to tackle heart disease and stroke in the two genders with particular attention to women.

Despite the decline of heart disease mortality registered in the past 30 years, the diseases of the heart and of the circulatory system are still the main cause of death in (geographic) Europe, accounting for over 4.30 million deaths each year (“European Cardiovascular Disease Statistics 2008”, European Heart Network February 2009). In the EU, experts reveal that striking disparities still exist between countries not only in terms of CVD incidence, but also with regard to national prevention policies. One of the more striking disparities refers to the approach to women’s CVD. Women suffer for heart disease in term of prevalence of deaths and of disability more than men. In view of this, there is a clear case for EU to step up action to tackle heart disease and stroke in the two genders with particular attention to women. In 1997 the American Heart Association raised a serious concern about the effectiveness of the health professionals in raising the patients’ awareness on the number-one health threat to women. A survey of one thousand women, of all ages and ethnic groups, highlighted their perceived health risks, how much they worry about them, and where and how they received information about heart disease and stroke. Well, less than 10% of women perceived heart disease as their greatest threat (http://www.americanheart.org/statistics/cvd.html). That belief was in stark contrast to the fact that in 1998, in US, cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of 503,927 women while cancer caused 259,467 deaths. In the EU, CVD is the main cause of deaths accounting for 2.0 million deaths each year: nearly half of all deaths in the EU (45% deaths in women and 38% in men). In Italy 131.000 women died for CVD in 2003 (103.000 men): more than the aggregated deaths for all tumors in women (69.000). In 1999, the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and other professional health organizations released a "Guide to Preventive Cardiology for Women" that provided recommendations for closing the wide gap between what is known to prevent heart disease in women and what is actually being done (Circulation 1999; 99:2480-84). In 2004 new guidelines based on clinical evidence were issued (Circulation. 2004;109:672-93) and in 2007 an update was published (Circulation. 2007;115:1481-501). In Europe a Statement devoted to heart diseases in women have been issued in 2006 (Cardiovascular diseases in women: a statement from the policy conference of the European Society of Cardiology Eur Heart J doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehi819). More recently (2009) a document supported by ESC and EHN has been published with the title Red Alert for Women’s Hearts Women and Cardiovascular Research in Europe (November 2009). 
“The Italian Heart Foundation, and the Fondazione Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation” says Emanuela Folco – Secretary General of the two mentioned Foundations and member of the WP6 Board“ since 1993 have been committed in developing and supporting campaigns, publications devoted to increase the knowledge and awareness on the cardiovascular problems in women. For this reason the two Foundations are very much committed to give an active collaboration to the Red Alert for Women’s Hearts project guided by EHN. In the last decade the attention to inequalities in the clinical approach to heart disease between genders has been increasing both in Europe and in Italy. But it is not enough and we are far from an acceptable level of attention. The requested focus and knowledge on the life, disability, and economic burden of CVD in women, demand much greater efforts to increase the awareness of women, professionals, and decision makers. First of all there is the need to avoid folkloristic approaches to a pink or blue medicine, and to cover with a (misleading) attribute of gender the void of effective programmes for the protection of the heart health in women.  Fortunately, most CVD in women (and men) is preventable. The question, however, is: will society take advantage of such an opportunity presented by the joint ESC-EHN recommendations to impact in a significant and positive way the health of women?” (see also Gender Mainstream http://www.healtheurope.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73:gender-mainstreaming&catid=44:editorials&Itemid=68)


January 29, 2010




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