Washington, DC (February 10) - Doctors have written many books about the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women but the real life experiences and voices of women heart patients have long been silent. Until now.

The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease has published the first-ever compilation of first-person essays, titled Stories from the Heart, written by 60 women heart patients and their family members about the many challenges of living with and recovering from this deadly disease.

"This is the unvarnished truth, unedited and unfiltered," said Coalition executive director Nancy Loving, herself a heart attack survivor. "The cardiac misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, undertreatment, and mistreatment of women within the healthcare system are described in these essays. They point to the need for women to educate themselves, become their own best heart health advocates and join together to advocate for change."

The essays also describe how difficult it is for many women heart patients to receive quality healthcare due to the dual stereotypes that heart disease is a "man's disease" and that women are not at-risk until they are elderly. Many women do not realize they are at-risk, do not recognize their symptoms as heart-related and delay seeking treatment. Often with deadly results.

"The book also reveals the women's tremendous hope, courage and even triumph over this terrible disease," said Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, M..D., of Mayo Clinic who wrote the book's Forward. "In the end, you cannot help but admire their transformation and commitment to helping other women."

Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American women, killing nearly 500,000 every year, more than eight times as many as breast cancer deaths. (Heart attacks alone kill 237,000 women every year.) More women than men die of heart disease, yet women receive only one-third of advanced treatments, such as angioplasties, stents and bypass surgeries. Moreover, women comprise only 25% of participants in all heart-related research studies.

The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is the nation's only patient advocacy organization representing the 8,000,000 American women living with heart disease. It aims to improve their quality of life and quality of healthcare, to include early detection, accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, through its support, information and advocacy services. Visit online at www.womenheart.org. Founded in 1998, it is a public charity headquartered in Washington, DC.

Stories from the Heart may be ordered online at our store for $6.00 per copy, including postage (orders of 25 or more are $5.00 per copy). All proceeds support the Coalition's educational and support programs.