Lack of research on heart disease in women is risking lives, say experts

Inequalities at every stage lead to women being diagnosed late and not getting the prompt treatment and aftercare they need to survive a heart attack. Photograph: Arctic-Images/Getty Images

Gaps in understanding about how cardiovascular disease affects women are putting lives at risk, say experts, who have called for greater action and investment to improve access, quality and equity in women’s heart health.

In a presidential advisory issued by the American Heart Association, leading heart doctors argued that women continued to be underrepresented in research for cardiovascular disease – the number one killer of women in the US and UK – and that greater emphasis needed to be placed on prevention and education. They suggested heart health programmes should begin as early as primary school, to engage girls and empower families to take greater control over their health.