Fight For Women's Health

Too often, women experience an injustice when they seek health care…

Their symptoms are dismissed, or they are sent home to rest.

They are misdiagnosed, or don’t receive any diagnosis at all.

Too often, no one suspect heart disease.

And yet it’s the leading cause of death in women.

Causes of missed and delayed diagnosis of heart disease in women include: symptoms of heart disease in women can be different from men and go unrecognized; time pressure in appointments lead to missed information or a breakdown in trust between patients and health care providers; and bias based on a patient’s age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity or appearance may lead clinicians to discount heart disease as a possible diagnosis.

But with more attention focused on this problem, we can improve the situation for women. Check out WomenHeart’s recent report on proposed research questions and interventions. Listen to women’s stories. And then take action to support women on their diagnostic journey.