The median time to first call for help following chest pain is 120 minutes for women and 84 minutes for men.
- In France, following a heart attack, the risk of waiting more than an hour before calling for help is 40% higher for women than for men.
- “These results suggest a gender gap in the initial assessment of chest pain,” cardiologists Anne-Laure Laprerie and Gérard Helft said at a press conference.
- “We observe that women tend to minimize their symptoms and delay their treatment,” they also stressed.
At a press conference, the French Federation of Cardiology (FFC) focused on the care of French women suffering a myocardial infarction (or heart attack).
Heart attack: “a gender gap in the first assessment”
“In the large French registry focusing on myocardial infarctions (FAST-MI registry), we observe a median delay before the first call for help following chest pain of 120 minutes for women and 84 minutes for men. And there, even after adjustment for age and the typicality of symptoms, the risk of waiting more than an hour before calling is increased by 40% in women compared to men.”indicated cardiologists Anne-Laure Laprerie and Gérard Helft.
“These results suggest a gender gap in the initial assessment of chest pain, with women themselves underestimating the likelihood of heart attack,” they added. “We observe that women tend to minimize their symptoms and delay their care. In addition, when they consult, the mention of their symptoms is not systematically associated with a cardiovascular problem,” they also noted.
Heart attack: “We must make up for the delay in studying the impact of cardiovascular diseases in women”
Doctors also said they wanted to advance research into cardiovascular diseases that affect women. “This is a priority objective for the FFC. This recurring theme aims to make up for the delays in the past in the study of the impact of cardiovascular diseases in women, because awareness is recent,” developed by Anne-Laure Laprerie and Gérard Helft.
“As part of its research support program, the FFC subsidizes specific projects whose results will help improve the understanding and awareness of health professionals in the care and monitoring of women with cardiovascular diseases,” they specified.
Heart attack: how can women protect themselves?
Finally, the FFC detailed how women can protect themselves from the risk of heart attack.Quitting smoking, eating a varied and healthier diet, engaging in regular physical activity, reducing alcohol consumption and promoting mental health are the essential levers to address this issue,” said Dr. Gregory Emery, Deputy Director General of Health (Ministry of Health and Prevention).
“In France, cardiovascular diseases represent the leading cause of death among women of all ages,” the experts finally concluded to support their words.
