Target the heart: they warn that most women minimize their cardiovascular risk

A widely held misconception is that cardiovascular diseases mainly affect men and women to a lesser extent. However, statistics confirm that heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for both genders.

To raise public awareness as part of International Women’s Day, celebrated every March 8, the Argentine Society of Cardiology (SAC) in collaboration with Espace Coeur & Femme ‘Dra. Liliana Grinfeld’ from the Argentinian Heart Foundation (FCA), they warn of unheard-of signals and the need for preventive health check-ups according to age.

Vital statistics published by the Nation’s Ministry of Health indicate that in Argentina the main cause of death is due to cardiovascular diseases. Even in 2020 during the COVID 19 pandemic, these conditions caused 27.3% of all deaths, surpassing coronavirus, according to specialists from SAC and FCA.

Despite this reality, perceived risk of cardiovascular disease is low among women. In 2006, the Heart and Woman Space ‘Dra. Liliana Grinfeld’ of SAC conducted a survey of women residing in the city of Buenos Aires and AMBA, the data revealed that 53.8% of women considered tumors to be the main cause of death and only 20% considered tumors cardiovascular illnesses.

In 2021, the same group repeated the experiment, expanding the survey to women nationwide with similar results. There gap between perception and reality still persisted: 62% considered cancer to be the main cause of death and only 34.9% considered cardiovascular disease.

“These data contrast with Argentine vital statistics where oncological disease was the cause of death for 17.4% of the population. The gap between perception and reality is probably multicausal. In recent decades, important biological differences between women and men have been described, as well as differences in responses to stress,” said the Dr. Veronica Crosa, cardiologist and director of the Heart & Woman space ‘Dra. Liliana Grinfeld’ of (SAC).

“We are now beginning to understand the role of genetic, molecular, cellular and physiological factors, including sex and gender, as well as the social determinants of health and the influence of the environment on women’s health. Women are underrepresented in all aspects of researchfrom the laboratory to population research, and this has had a negative impact on the implementation of effective measures in health policies,” said the Dr. Roberto Nicolas Aguero, cardiologist, specialist in Nuclear Medicine, deputy director of Espace Cœur & Femmes ‘Dra. Liliana Grinfeld’ from the Argentine Society of Cardiology.

“Even, the lack of female representation in studies intrinsically leads to positioning male-owned data as the gold standard,” adds the specialist.

Experts point out that most studies have not made a clear distinction between gender and sex, basing the definition on sex at birth, excluding the universe of diversity and transgender women from analysis. “In this scenario, it becomes imperative to improve women’s awareness of their risk, but also to design education strategies in the professional community that assists these women, as well as to implement health policies aimed at reducing the existing gap,” she added. .

Like men, women are exposed to so-called “traditional” risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking. Women are also at risk for other risk factors related to gynecological-obstetrical history, such as a history of pregnancy hypertension, gestational diabetes, premature delivery, low-weight-for-gestational-age babies, and frequent abortions, all of which are associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease, as well as early menopause.

On the other hand, certain diseases that predominate in women, such as autoimmune diseases and breast cancer, also constitute risk factors on their own or through associated treatments. Depression is another risk factor strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and this entity is also more common in women.

Recently, some risk factors for unconventional cardiovascular diseases rather related to the female gender have been recognized, such as gender violenceunfavorable socio-economic conditions and a low level of education, which is associated with poorer working conditions, maternity and single parenthood with adjournment and neglect of one’s health.

Recently the American Society of Heart (AHA) issued a call to action for cardiovascular disease in women, highlighting the need to review epidemiology, raise awareness, assess access to health, and provide equitable health care.

In this context, the Space Heart and Women ‘Dra. Liliana Grinfeld’ of the Argentine Society of Cardiology (SAC) and its community arm, Fundación Cardiológica Argentina (FCA), are raising awareness.

This March, it is proposed to spread the message ‘Give your heart’encouraging women to become aware of the need to give their heart time, rest, care, exercise, calm, love and attention to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

In this context, actions aimed at the community will take place in all the districts of the country. In the city of Buenos Aires, a show of light, sound, dance and electronic tango will take place with the slogan ‘Give light to your heart’; the activity will take place in the The Woman’s Bridgehe March 11 at 8:30 p.m. In addition, the Corazón y Mujer area with the FCA will participate in the event GCBA Women on bikesarrived at Shopping Alto Palermo 12th of March at 9.30 a.m.

“The Argentine Society of Cardiology, through the Heart and Women Zone ‘Dra. Liliana Grinfeld’ carries out permanent work with a view to raising awareness in the cardiological community of cardiovascular diseases in women, promotes the creation of links and spaces for intersocietal and interdisciplinary exchanges and training, and actively collaborates in the dissemination of recommendations for the cardiovascular health,” Dr. Crosa concluded.

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