By Alicia Wanek
OB-GYNS and Cardiologists Collaborate to Combat Women’s Leading Cause of Death
Regular yearly appointments with an OB-GYN can play a pivotal role in enhancing women’s heart health. An advisory highlights the importance of collaboration with cardiologists and outlines strategies for the two specialties to work together in preventing heart disease.
More than 90 percent of women deal with at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, many women rely on their visits to obstetricians or annual “well-woman” checkups with their gynecologists as their main healthcare contact, as indicated by a joint advisory from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Heart Association (AHA), published in Circulation.
This makes such appointments “a significant opportunity to guide patients toward adopting and maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle, which is fundamental for sustaining heart health,” remarked AHA President Dr. John Warner, who is also an executive vice president at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Standard risk factors for heart disease—like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity—can impact women differently than they do men. Key life events such as menopause and pregnancy can also influence heart health. Furthermore, conditions like preterm delivery and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes can heighten cardiovascular risk.
“Pregnancy acts as a ‘stress test’ for women, and negative outcomes during pregnancy can help identify those at an elevated risk for heart disease, even if the conditions resolve postpartum,” highlights the advisory.
As such, these visits provide a natural opportunity to discuss topics such as weight management, nutrition, stress levels, and physical activity, according to Dr. Haywood L. Brown, the outgoing ACOG president and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He acknowledges having recognized the necessity for improved coordination and communication over a decade ago while leading the OB-GYN department at Duke. Today, there is a fresh awareness concerning this issue.
– American Heart Association/Go Red for Women
What Is Go Red For Women?
In 2004, the American Heart Association (AHA) confronted a significant challenge. Nearly 500,000 American women were dying each year from cardiovascular disease, yet many were not aware of the risks. In fact, numerous women overlooked it as a problem primarily faced by older men. To counteract misconceptions and raise awareness about heart disease and stroke as the leading threats to women’s health, the American Heart Association launched Go Red For Women, an emotional and social initiative aimed at empowering women to take control of their heart health.
Why Do Go Red For Women and Other Red Dress Campaigns Focus on Women?
Historically, heart disease and heart attacks have been largely associated with men. Men have primarily been the subjects of research aimed at understanding heart disease and stroke, which has formed the basis for treatment guidelines and standard practices. This approach has led to an oversimplified and skewed understanding of heart disease and its risks, negatively impacting women’s health outcomes.
Due to this oversight, women’s recognition of their risk for this often-avoidable disease has diminished. Astonishingly, only 55 percent of women recognize heart disease as their leading cause of death, and fewer than half are aware of the healthy ranges for cardiovascular risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The Go Red For Women campaign strives to ensure that women understand their risk levels and can take proactive steps to safeguard their health.
For further information, visit www.goredforwomen.org.
