Top 10 unanswered questions about heart disease in women

[Guest guest]

TOP 10 UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT HEART DISEASE IN WOMEN

(It's Not Just for Men Anymore)

by Candace Hoffman

There are some potentially important differences in heart disease development,

risks, diagnosis and treatment between men

and women.

What is the leading cause of death in American women? Hint: It's not breast

cancer.

Heart disease (heart attack and stroke) is the leading cause of death in

American women, killing nearly half a million women

each year and outranking breast cancer, which comes in as the third leading

cause of death. Lung cancer ranks as No 2.

Not Just a Man's Disease

Sharonne MD, director of the Mayo Clinic Women's Heart Clinic and one of

hte authors of the recently released 10 Q

report: Advancing Women's Heart Health Through Improved Research, Diagnosis and

Treatment explains that one of the biggest

myths surrounding women and heart disease is that it is mainly a man's disease.

This couldn't be further from the truth. But because of this perception, the

diagnosis of heart disease in women is often

mussed or discovered late in the disease process, Dr. says.

" There are some potentially important sex differences in heart disease

development, risks, diagnosis and treatment " , she

says, " But we've only scratched the surface of what we need to know. We haven't

done enough research on women to even begin

to sort out what's best for women. As a result, women die in greater numbers

than men do. All we have now are observed

differences, but we haven't gotten to the point where we know the significance,

or lack thereof, of the differences. "

The 10 Q report, from WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart

Disease and the Society for Women's Health

Research, polled cardiovascular experts to identify the top 10 unanswered

questions about the development, diagnosis and

treatment of heart disease in women.

Finding answers to these 10 questions could " cut the number of women who die

prematurely of heart disease by 50% over the

next decade, " by providing " a blueprint for a research agenda, " WomenHeart says

in a released statement.

Three Important Questions

Dr. explains that while all 10 questions in the report carry great weight,

these may take higher priority:

-What are the best strategies for preventing heart disease in women?

-What are the best tools and methods for assessing women's risk of heart

disease?

-What treatments for heart disease work best for women?

" If we truly, fully answered these 3 questions, many of the others would be

answered in the process, " Dr. says. " We

know there are sex differences in heart disease and there is a true " theme " of

under-investigation, under-representation and

under-treatment of women. All of the questions must be addressed and answered. "

Take Charge of Your Heart Health

In the meantime, women need to take responsibility for their heart health, Dr.

says. " Live a healthy lifestyle, know

their risks, listen to their bodies, and seek second, and third, opinions when

they don't think they are getting the answers

they are seeking, or if they are not getting better.

TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE

-Don't smoke

-Exercise Regularly

-Maintain a healthy weight

-Eat a varied, low-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes

-Manage stress

-Control Blood pressure

-Check cholesterol every 3-5

(source - MayoClinic.com)

QUESTIONS FROM THE 10Q REPORT:

1. Why do women receive significantly fewer referrals for advanced diagnostic

testing and treatments for heart disease than

men, and how can the referral rate for women be increased?

2. What are the best tools and methods for assessing women's risk of heart

disease?

3. What are the best strategies for preventing heart disease in women?

4. What treatments for heart disease work best for women?

5. What are the most effective evaluation methods and treatments for diastolic

heart failure, which is the most commmon form

of congestive heart failure in women?

6. How can the heart disease diagnosis and care disparities between Caucasian

women and women of color be eliminated?

7. What are the biological differences between men and women in the location,

type, and heart disease risk level associated

with fat deposits, and what determines the differences?

8. How do gender differences in the regulation of heart rhythm affect risk of

heart disease and response to treatments?

9. What is the role of inflammation in heart disease in women?

10. Why are women ages 50 and younger more likely to die following a heart

attack than men of the same age?

Laurie Delk

(931) 380-8811

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