Heart disease in women is underdiagnosed and undertreated

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-11-30 00:01

Australia; SA

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Cardiovascular disease in women remains understudied, underdiagnosed and undertreated and risk factors specific to women must be taken into account if we want to improve their outcomes, say Australian experts. They say recognising the importance of sex-specific risk factors, such as high blood pressure during pregnancy, and focusing on lifestyle factors are fundamental to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Current cardiovascular disease guidelines do not discriminate between the sexes and come from male-dominant studies, which could mean women are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis and are less likely to receive guideline-directed care.