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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a bi-partisan, bi-cameral group of women lawmakers today introduced legislation addressing issues surrounding the cardiovascular health of American women.
Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have joined Representatives Lois Capps (D-CA) and Barbara Cubin (R-WY) to introduce the Heart disease Education, Research and Analysis, and Treatment (HEART) for Women Act. The legislation, which is similar to legislation the four lawmakers introduced in 2006, seeks to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and stroke among women.
"We must stop thinking of heart disease as a 'man's disease' and start insisting on improvements in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease among women," Senator Stabenow said. "One in three adult women has some form of cardiovascular disease; we need to come together as mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends to fight back against the number one killer of women."
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes coronary heart disease, stroke, and other heart diseases. Worse, according to the American Heart Association, nearly 39 percent of female deaths in America occur from CVD. Yet, only 13 percent of women in America believe that heart disease and stroke are the greatest health threat to women.
“For at least two generations, cardiovascular disease has taken a devastating toll on our country, claiming the lives of friends and loved ones and costing our nation millions of dollars in health care costs,” Senator Murkowski said. “In my State of Alaska – taken together – heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death, totaling nearly 800 deaths each year. Women in Alaska have higher death rates from stroke than do women nationally. Prevention through early detection is one of the most effective ways to combat this disease, and this bill would help ensure that women will be provided with the best care for their unique needs.”
The HEART for Women Act takes a 3‑pronged approach to reducing the cardiovascular disease death rate for women, through improved health education, gender specific analysis and research, and increased access to screening for women. In an effort to deliver better health care to women, the bill authorizes grants to educate doctors about the unique aspects of preventing, diagnosing and treating women with heart disease.
"While deaths among women due to heart disease have declined, this disease is still the number one killer of women," said Representative Capps, a registered nurse. "Unfortunately not enough people recognize that heart disease poses such a serious threat to women's health and far too many women pay a terrible price for that lack of knowledge. This legislation addresses the critical knowledge gap by ensuring that health care professionals are informed about the risks of cardiovascular disease in women, know how this disease affects women differently than men, and are better equipped to diagnose heart disease in women. By providing access to high‑quality screenings for heart disease and stroke we can help women across the country secure an early diagnosis of the disease and receive effective treatment."
The HEART for Women Act also requires that the health information that is already being reported to the Food and be stratified by sex, race and ethnicity, while calling for annual recommendations to Congress on ways to improve the treatment of heart disease for women.
“As a heart attack survivor myself, I cannot overemphasize the importance of educating women about the warning signs of heart disease and stroke,” said Representative Cubin, who suffered a heart attack in the summer of 2005. “I am proof that heart disease can happen to literally anyone, even someone who appears to be in perfect health. Currently, heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease are the leading cause of death in Wyoming. With increased awareness of these dangers and better prevention, America's future generations of women will not have to fear the dangers of cardiovascular disease.”
Finally, the HEART for Women Act focuses on the importance of heart disease screening among women by expanding a current program run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called WISEWOMAN. This program, currently available in only 14 states, provides free cardiovascular disease screenings to low‑income uninsured women. Expanding this program nationwide would give even more women the number one tool in fighting any disease, the ability for early detection.
The HEART for Women Act is supported by a number of leading health and women’s organizations, including the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc., the Society for Women’s Health Research, WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Women’s Medical Association, the Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the Association of Women’s Heart Programs, the Black Women’s Health Imperative, Business and Professional Women/USA, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the National Research Center for Women and Families, and the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.
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