Tragically, women still come up short when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Sharonne Hayes, MD, director of the Mayo Women’s Heart Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota spoke recently to staff from WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women With Heart Disease . Learn more here about why inequities continue, and how women can empower themselves and others to achieve equal and quality care for their hearts:
WH: “Recent studies show that compared with men, women have a 50% greater chance of being delayed in the hospital Emergency Room setting, and that women are less likely to receive the same care as men in the hospital setting generally. Do these studies suggest doctors and emergency first responders are really having trouble spotting heart attack symptoms in women?
Dr. Hayes: “Yes. While on one hand, these findings are discouraging and reflect true disparities in care, on the other, we have to acknowledge that health care providers’ best efforts are hindered by the lack of good science about women and heart disease.
“There is no good study out there that tells us how similar or different women are from men when it comes to heart attacks. Sometimes, the symptoms are not clear, clustered differently, and can be attributed to something like indigestion or anxiety.
“If you find yourself in an ambulance or Emergency Room, don’t be afraid to say to the paramedic or triage nurse, “I think I’m having a heart attack.” You want a proper diagnosis, and a straightforward blood test and EKG are the starting points. If the thought crossed your mind that you might be having a heart attack, you need to speak up.” (more…)
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