A&E drive to dispel myth of heart disease as ‘male’ illness

AN education programme is being introduced in accident and emergency & departments to ensure women suffering from heart disease receive the same standard of care as men.

While a woman is more likely to develop coronary heart disease than breast cancer, heart disease is often falsely perceived to be a ‘male’ disease.

Instead of the classic chest pain, women may experience symptoms such as pain in the abdomen, shoulder or neck, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea or vomiting.

The Women’s Health Council, an advisory body to the Minister for Health, has been working with the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine so that women presenting & with symptoms suggestive of acute heart disease receive the best possible care.

Yesterday the two organisations published their document, The Emergency Department Assessment of Women with Acute Coronary Syndrome for emergency medicine healthcare professionals.

It highlights the broad range of symptoms that can be associated with heart disease in women. The document will be circulated to all hospital emergency departments.

It encourages doctors and nurses to appreciate the true prevalence of heart disease among women in Ireland.

In particular, it will ensure there is no gender disadvantage in the assessment, investigation and emergency treatment of patients with heart disease and that all patients receive the best possible standards of care.

It also encourages medical staff to increase awareness of heart disease among their women patients and encourage them to reduce their heart disease risks.

Dr James Binchy, a consultant in emergency medicine and secretary of the association, pointed out that an education programme for A&E staff would be provided.

Director of the Women’s Health Council Geraldine Luddy said a Millward Brown IMS study commissioned by the council last year found that more than a third of women in Ireland still see heart disease as a condition that mainly affects men.

“Over their lifetimes, women are as affected as men by cardiovascular disease, although they usually develop the disease at a slightly later age,” she pointed out.

It also found that most women and men are not aware that women may have different symptoms of heart disease.

The council has been emphasising the need for women and health professionals to be aware of the risk factors and experiences of women regarding heart disease.

“It is essential that the same emphasis is applied to the management of heart disease among women as is applied to men and that women receive appropriate levels of care in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease,” she said.

The council has previously worked with the Irish Council of General Practitioners to make GPs aware of the issues at stake for women.