The Heart Surgery Forum, Volume 7, Issue 4

EDITORIAL: Women and Heart Disease

Mercedes K. C. Dullum, MD

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, Florida, USA

EXCERPT

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. It is alarming to note that approximately 50,000 more women than men die of heart disease every year, and in fact 1 in 5 women has some form of heart or blood vessel disease.

It is of note that 38% of women who have a heart attack die within a year and 40% of all coronary events in women are fatal; most occur without prior warning.

Nearly twice as many women in the United States die from heart disease and stroke as from all cancers put together, including breast cancer. Undertreatment and underdiagnosis of heart disease in women has been common and has resulted in excess mortality in women.

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