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Challenging stereotypes on cardiovascular disease in women
There are many historical and practical reasons why women ’ s attitude to their risk of CVD may differ to men ’ s . Nurses can offer vital education and support to ensure women do not overlook potentially dangerous symptoms
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ardiovascular disease ( CVD ) is consistently a leading cause of death worldwide across all demographics . However , a lack of understanding of the rates and presentation of CVD in women could be causing unnecessary morbidity and mortality from often preventable and treatable disease .
Practice nurses can support women in understanding their risk of CVD and promote equitable investigation and treatment across traditional barriers .
Barriers to women seeking care for CVD symptoms As frontline healthcare professionals , we need to understand why women may or may not seek support for symptoms that could indicate CVD .
On the whole , women are more likely to seek primary care services than men are , 1 for several historical reasons . Women have traditionally acted overwhelmingly as the main carer for
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Go online for this article with references children and other dependent family members . Women ’ s need for primary care interactions , from menarche to motherhood to menopause , and from contraception to conception and beyond , have meant they are simply more accustomed attending their local practice and specialist clinics .
On the other hand , unlike most other medical specialties , CVD is generally seen as a condition that mainly affects men . Media portrayals of heart disease tend to feature overweight middle-aged men clutching their chests and falling , grey and sweating , to the ground .
Certainly , gender plays a part in CVD risk . The average age of a woman having a first myocardial infarction ( MI ) is around 9-10 years higher than that of a man and there are various independent risk factors that affect men and women differently . 2 Oestrogen seems to play a protective role against heart disease in women , so postmenopausal women should be aware of a sharp increase in their risk . 3 nursinginpractice . com Winter 2021