Women and heart disease:

How do you start to transform the long ingrained opinions that

heart disease affects primarily men? Most people are surprised

when told that not only is heart disease the #1 killer of women,

but that more women die from heart disease than breast cancer.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly 500,000

women die each year from heart disease.1 And although today's

advances in cardiology are many, 38% of women will die within

one year of a first heart attack. Clearly, we can and should do

a better job at treating women with heart disease.



These facts

haven't gone unrecognized by the healthcare community, who

produces a wealth of educational literature, websites, and

symposiums focusing on women's heart care. Additionally, new and

established heart centers are beginning to concentrate on

cardiac issues specific to the care of women. These efforts do

demonstrate favorable steps for progress, but more is needed to

reduce the alarmingly high mortality rate. Recent research

reveals a disparity between the cardiac treatments given to

females vs.



males. The dramatic improvements in pharmaceuticals,

time to treatment, interventional cardiac catheterization, and

cardiovascular surgery aren't consistently applied to both

genders. Resolving inequities The following organizational steps

can be useful in resolving cardiac care inequities: ♦

Begin at the organizational level by providing educational

programs to your nursing staff and physicians with topics such

as: --the prevalence of heart disease among women

--identification of cardiac symptoms in women --primary

prevention methods This fundamental intervention that is a vital

foundation to affect a change in medical practice that can save

women's lives.



♦ Formulate a community awareness program

to address issues on the following: --risk factor identification

specific to women --risk factor reduction methods specific to

women --identification of cardiac signs and symptoms specific to

women --discussion topics with your physician --cardiac

screenings. Hospitals offering these programs report capacity

attendances and waiting lists for sessions, supporting evidence

that there's need and interest. The programs serve two

objectives: providing a needed educational opportunity for the

women in your community and showcasing your cardiac services.



Developing a program Since cardiac disease is a chronic

condition, a disease management model proves suitable. Develop

organizational strategic initiatives to provide continuous

services that will significantly impact this condition. (See

"Sample outline.") Trendsetter programs are paving the path for

others to follow by providing proof of the clinical and

financial benefits to offering a cardiac program specific to

women. Research on the profitability of women's cardiac programs

demonstrates a favorable bottom-line impact.



Additional

non-cardiac diagnostic testing is reported to increase as a

result of these programs. This research provides the evidence of

the value of directing organizational efforts toward provision

of women's cardiac services.3 For many years it has been known

that women are the primary decision makers in healthcare.

Hospitals have responded to this by developing women's health

centers that address OB/Gyn needs, screening for osteoporosis,

and breast care. These programs were developed to meet what was

considered to be the most pressing health issues for women, but

by continuing to offer only these services they fail to address

heart disease.



Seize the opportunity to become a "full service"

women's health program by providing women's cardiac services.



REFERENCES 1. American Heart Association: Heart Disease and

Stroke Statistics-2003 Update. Dallas, Tex.: American Heart

Association, 2002. 2. Heartwire: Women with heart disease are

"substantially undertreated," Theheart.org; Jan. 20, 2003. 3.

The Advisory Board Company: Cardiovascular Roundtable.

Enterprise in Transition, National Membership Meeting,

Washington, D.C., 2002.