New survey uncovers lack of awareness around heart valve disease and risk factors among women
Despite prevalence of chronic conditions associated with aortic stenosis in women over 65, the majority have never been referred to a cardiologist; Racial disparities may present further opportunities for awareness amongst women at risk for cardiovascular disease
"In order to tackle the ever-growing challenges that female patients face in health care, we need to fully understand issues surrounding their awareness and the impact it has on their health," said
The survey targeted a diverse sample of women aged 50 and above, with 53% between 50 to 65 years old and 47% aged 66 or older. Notably, 23.5% of respondents were Black or Hispanic, ensuring a nationally representative demographic of
There is a lack of awareness among women about the risks of aortic stenosis (AS) and cardiovascular disease.
Despite the prevalence of cardiovascular disease amongst women, awareness is low, with 26% of women not having heard of any of the most common heart-related conditions such as coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, heart valve disease, or AS, and only 30% of women aged 50 and older having heard of AS.
Additionally, women of color have less awareness compared to their white counterparts, with only 10% of Black women and 21% of Hispanic women having heard of AS, compared to 33% of white women.
Women are not referred for diagnosis and treatment.
Even in women who present with risk factors, they are not always referred or screened- highlighting the opportunity to strengthen the referral and preventive screening pathway. In fact, 82% of women above age 65 are living with a chronic condition that increases their risk of aortic stenosis, yet the majority (68%) have never been referred to a cardiologist or taken a heart disease risk assessment.
Women do not seek cardiovascular care because they believe their symptoms will not be taken seriously.
Women experiencing heart valve disease symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath stated the following would prevent them for seeking medical care:
- More than 2 in five women cite fear or anxiety about going to the doctor
- 15% cite feeling like their doctor will dismiss their symptoms
Women are interested in treatments that have been proven effective in women.
For women diagnosed with a medical condition such as heart valve disease and deciding which treatment to pursue, they look to what would work best for them based on several important factors, such as minimally invasive treatment, recovery time, and doctor recommendation.
- When selecting the top three factors they consider, close to half (45%) include a minimally invasive procedure - highlighting the importance of solutions like TAVR.
- Additionally, the majority (75%) of women surveyed are very or extremely likely to ask their doctor about a different treatment option if they learn of one that is shown to be more effective in women than the one their doctor recommended.
"When compared to male patients, female patients often present with more advanced symptoms of heart valve disease highlighting the importance of uncovering how we can best educate women on early warning signs and treatment options sooner," stated
Medtronic, Women as One, and others are spearheading a range of initiatives, from educational campaigns and women-focused clinical trial research with policymakers and government officials to increase health equity for women with heart valve disease.
"Driving change to address inequities in healthcare cannot be done alone. When it comes to heart valve disease in women, Medtronic is proud to partner with our clinical community and organizations like Women as One to identify opportunities to improve health equity outcomes," added Goodheart. "Today at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session, we look forward to further demonstrating this commitment with the results of our SMART trial, our latest effort to address the underrepresentation of women in cardiovascular health research."
About Women and Aortic Stenosis
Aortic stenosis (AS), a narrowing of the aortic valve, is among the most common of all valvular heart diseases, impacting 1.5 million in the
About Women as One
Women as One is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2019 by internationally recognized cardiovascular clinical trialists, Dr.
About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the
1 Carabello BA, Paulus WJ. Aortic stenosis.
2 Lester SJ, Heilbron B, Gin K, Dodek A, Jue J. The natural history and rate of progression of aortic stenosis. Chest.
3
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