Women unaware of their heart disease risk: Report

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMay 31 2010

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has come up with results of their study funded by the National Heart Foundation that warns Australian women of their heart disease risk. It says that heart disease is the leading killer of Australian women and most women (eight out of ten) think that heart disease kills only “old men”.

The researchers found that around 30 women die each day of heart attack, stroke or other heart disease. There are more than two million women in Australia now who have a heart condition says the report. The 243 page report also underlined the fact that more than one third Australian women died of heart disease prematurely. Women are also less likely to seek medical help than men, says the report. This section of women patients take up a huge chunk of Australia’s health budget with $2.5 billion spent each year that includes $1.2 billion for hospital admissions, $816.6 million for prescription medicines and $577.9 million for out-of-hospital medical help.

This study according to Heart Foundation CEO Dr Lyn Roberts shows that this area needs as much attention in terms of preventive health care as breast cancer does. “Not that we want this to be a competition between the two, because breast cancer obviously is an incredibly important issue for women…But what we'd like is for women to be aware that looking after their heart health is also important,” she pointed out. She said that this is the first report of its kind. There is also an underlying difference in how women develop and manifest heart disease said Dr. Roberts. “The findings reflect international research showing that women have lower rates of diagnostic procedures and treatment than men,” she said in a statement.

The report also gives some glaring results to ponder upon;

• 76 per cent women do not exercise enough
• 54 per cent are overweight or obese
• 48 per cent have high cholesterol
• 27 per cent have high blood pressure
• 15 per cent smoke every day

Health Minister Nicola Roxon urged women to take care and stop the heart unhealthy habits like not exercising, smoking, being overweight or obese or have uncontrolled ailments like high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes etc.