A Medtronic survey recently revealed a lack of awareness among women regarding heart valve disease and the risk factors.
The survey examined women’s perceptions and knowledge of risk factors, treatment patterns, and preventative care practices related to heart valve disease. It was endorsed by Women as One and conducted by Wakefield Research, which sampled 1,000 women in the U.S. aged 50 and older.
Nina Goodheart, Medtronic SVP of structural heart and aortic division, stressed the need to comprehend women’s healthcare challenges to effectively address them.
“In order to tackle the ever-growing challenges that female patients face in health care, we need to fully understand issues surrounding their awareness and the impact it has on their health,” Goodheart said in a news release. “Heart valve disease awareness deserves broader attention in the U.S., especially considering many women aged 50 and older are at an increased risk of developing the disease. This survey shines a light on the need for increased awareness, early detection, and access to appropriate care for women.”
The survey participant pool targeted a diverse sample of women aged 50 and above, with 53% between 50 to 65 years old and 47% aged 66 or older. Additionally, 23.5% of respondents were Black or Hispanic.
Survey findings reveal limited awareness, barriers to care and racial disparities
Findings from the survey included:
- Limited awareness: Despite the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among women, there remains a significant lack of awareness regarding heart valve conditions, particularly aortic stenosis (AS). Only 30% of women aged 50 and older had heard of AS, while 26% were unaware of common heart-related conditions such as coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, or heart valve disease.
- Racial disparities: Women of color exhibited lower awareness levels compared to their white counterparts. Just 10% of Black women and 21% of Hispanic women had heard of AS, contrasting with 33% of white women.
- Under-referral for diagnosis and treatment: Even among women presenting with risk factors, referral rates for diagnosis and treatment were alarmingly low. Despite 82% of women over 65 living with chronic conditions elevating their risk of AS, the majority (68%) had never been referred to a cardiologist or undergone a heart disease risk assessment.
- Barriers to seeking care: Women’s reluctance to seek cardiovascular care stemmed from various factors, including fear or anxiety about medical visits and concerns about symptom dismissal by healthcare providers. Such barriers hindered timely access to diagnosis and treatment. More than 2 in 5 women cited fear and anxiety as a factor, and 15% felt doctors would dismiss their symptoms.
- Preference for effective treatments: Women diagnosed with heart valve disease expressed a preference for treatments proven effective for their gender, particularly minimally invasive procedures like transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Close to half (45%) cited a minimally invasive procedure as a top consideration, emphasizing the importance of tailored treatment options. The majority (75%) cited being very or extremely likely to ask their doctor about a different treatment option if there was one that was more effective in women than the one their doctor recommended.
“When compared to male patients, female patients often present with more advanced symptoms of heart valve disease highlighting the importance of uncovering how we can best educate women on early warning signs and treatment options sooner,” Dr. Roxana Mehran, co-founder and president of Women as One, said. “These survey findings grant us the opportunity to develop better partnerships with communities experiencing the most inequities and provide a pathway to refining policies and systems that will lead to better care.”
Medtronic, Women as One and others are spearheading various initiatives, including educational campaigns and women-focused clinical trial research with policymakers and government officials to increase health equity for women with heart valve disease. Women as One is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote talent in medicine by providing unique professional opportunities to women cardiologists and promote more diversity of thought in medicine.
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Medtronic presented the results of its SMART trial at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.
“Driving change to address inequities in healthcare cannot be done alone. When it comes to heart valve disease in women, Medtronic is proud to partner with our clinical community and organizations like Women as One to identify opportunities to improve health equity outcomes,” Goodheart said. “Today at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session, we look forward to further demonstrating this commitment with the results of our SMART trial, our latest effort to address the underrepresentation of women in cardiovascular health research.”
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