Cardiovascular Disease in Women

Although cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the USA, more women die yearly—close to 500 000. Women are twice as likely as men to have heart failure, 1·5 times more likely to die within a year of a heart attack, and twice as likely to have a poor outcome after a coronary artery bypass graft. Furthermore, the cardiovascular mortality rate is rising in women younger than 55 years. Women often have non-chest-pain-specific cardiovascular symptoms. Two-thirds of women who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no symptoms, probably reflecting a distinct microvasculature cause of cardiovascular disease in women.
Two US organisations, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease and the Society for Women's Health Research, have released Report: Advancing Women's Heart Health Through Improved Research, Diagnosis and Treatment. The report emphasises the burden of cardiovascular disease in women and the disappointing lack of research into this predicament.