The National Observatory of Women’s Health, led by the association Agir pour le coeur des femmes, has published its first figures for 2024. Nevertheless, as a result of psychosocial risks, combined with an increase in risky behavior, women are less well monitored and cared for. a cardiovascular level than men.
As part of the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, held yesterday, the association Agir pour le coeur des femmes published the figures of its National Observatory of Women’s Health 2024. The data comes from medical records resulting from screenings of the Women’s Heart Bus – a traveling medical bus that meets women for cardiovascular and gynecological screening. In total, more than 8,000 women pushed doordoor of the bus over the past three years.
What are the cardiovascular risk factors in women?
According to this data, 89% of women have at least two risk factors for cardiovascular disease. with a high cardiovascular risk » said the association. Among these factors we find in particular smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle, consumption ofalcoholalcoholfamily history, obesity and overweight, and triglycerides present in excessive amounts in the blood. In addition to one of these factors, 46% of them have two gynecological risk factors, such as: birth controlbirth control contraindicated, lack of gynecological follow-up, late pregnancies, etc. In addition, age and menopause are risk factors: “ Before the menopausemenopauseTHE hormoneshormones feminine, like estrogenestrogenprotect women from heart and vascular diseaseheart and vascular diseasereducing the ‘bad’ cholesterolcholesterol and increase ‘good’ cholesterol, which preserves blood vessels. But this protection decreases with hormonal contraception and then disappears during menopause. », explains the French Federation of Cardiology (FFC). In addition, 67% of women have psychosocial risk factors, such as chronic stress. “ Twice as many women as men suffer from a depressive episode and they are more often in a disadvantaged socio-economic situation. These risk factors are just as important ashigh bloodpressurehigh bloodpressure and the diabetesdiabetes », specifies Agir pour le Coeur des femmes.
The French Cardiology Federation wants to inform women, men and health professionals through a video campaign about the specific care and monitoring that women need. © French Cardiology Federation
“A lack of attention to female characteristics by medicine”
Despite this cardiovascular risk, only 1 in 5 women benefit from follow-up by a specialist, and 79% have none. Among postmenopausal women, a particularly high-risk period, 74% of them do not have cardiovascular monitoring. About the gynecologygynecologyonly 44% of postmenopausal women benefit from appropriate monitoring. Acting for the Hearts of Women Denounces “ the lack of attention paid to feminine characteristics by medicine “. This tends to “ cause major support defects. THE symptomssymptoms are less well identified, the treatments are more suitable for men… Added to this is the fear of performing chest compressions on a woman for fear of touching her breasts… », the association adds.
Heart accident: women are treated 36 minutes later than men
The FFC notes that women tend to minimize their symptoms and delay treatment: “ In the large French register interested in heart attackheart attack (FAST-MI register) we see an average delay before the first call after the painpain chest of 120 minutes for women and 84 minutes for men “. This shows a gender gap in initial chest assessment and an underestimation of the likelihood of a heart attack by women themselves. And while cardiac rehabilitation is essential for recovery after a accidentaccident Heart disease once again affects women unfavorably. The FFC’s explanation: “ Women often prioritize their family and professional obligations to the detriment of their health. They want to resume their daily activities, while a period of rehabilitation in a center, under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team, would allow them to benefit from all the practical advice to return to a life as normal as possible and with minimal risk of diseases. relapserelapse “.
The French Cardiology Federation calls for a catch-up on the impact of cardiovascular disease in women. To achieve this, she wants to inform women but also men through a video campaign that will be broadcast until June 23 and increase awareness among health professionals about the specific care and monitoring that women need.