Despite prevalence of chronic conditions
associated with aortic stenosis in women over 65, the majority have
never been referred to a cardiologist; Racial disparities may
present further opportunities for awareness amongst women at risk
for cardiovascular disease
DUBLIN, April 7, 2024 /CNW/ -- Medtronic plc, a global
leader in healthcare technology, today unveiled topline findings of
its comprehensive survey on women's perceptions and knowledge of
risk factors, treatment patterns, and preventive care practices
related to heart valve disease. The survey is endorsed by Women as
One and was conducted by Wakefield Research sampling 1,000
women in the United States (U.S.)
aged 50 and older.
"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,"
said Nina Goodheart, senior vice
president and president, Structural Heart & Aortic, which is
part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. "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 targeted a diverse sample of women aged 50 and above,
with 53% between 50 to 65 years old and 47% aged 66 or older.
Notably, 23.5% of respondents were Black or Hispanic, ensuring a
nationally representative demographic of U.S. women in this age
group. Findings from the survey highlight:
There is a lack of awareness among women about the risks of
aortic stenosis (AS) and cardiovascular disease.
Despite the prevalence of cardiovascular disease amongst women,
awareness is low, with 26% of women not having heard of any of the
most common heart-related conditions such as coronary artery
disease, congenital heart disease, heart valve disease, or AS, and
only 30% of women aged 50 and older having heard of AS.
Additionally, women of color have less awareness compared to
their white counterparts, with only 10% of Black women and 21%
of Hispanic women having heard of AS, compared to 33% of white
women.
Women are not referred for diagnosis and treatment.
Even in women who present with risk factors, they are not always
referred or screened- highlighting the opportunity to strengthen
the referral and preventive screening pathway. In fact, 82% of
women above age 65 are living with a chronic condition that
increases their risk of aortic stenosis, yet the majority (68%)
have never been referred to a cardiologist or taken a heart disease
risk assessment.
Women do not seek cardiovascular care because they believe
their symptoms will not be taken seriously.
Women experiencing heart valve disease symptoms such as fatigue and
shortness of breath stated the following would prevent them for
seeking medical care:
- More than 2 in five women cite fear or anxiety about going to
the doctor
- 15% cite feeling like their doctor will dismiss their
symptoms
Women are interested in treatments that have been proven
effective in women.
For women diagnosed with a medical condition such as heart valve
disease and deciding which treatment to pursue, they look to what
would work best for them based on several important factors, such
as minimally invasive treatment, recovery time, and doctor
recommendation.
- When selecting the top three factors they consider, close to
half (45%) include a minimally invasive procedure - highlighting
the importance of solutions like TAVR.
- Additionally, the majority (75%) of women surveyed are very or
extremely likely to ask their doctor about a different treatment
option if they learn of one that is shown to be 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," stated Roxana Mehran, MD, co-founder and president of
Women as One. "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 a range of
initiatives, from educational campaigns and women-focused
clinical trial research with policymakers and government officials
to increase health equity for women with heart valve disease.
"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," added Goodheart.
"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."
About Women and Aortic Stenosis
Aortic stenosis (AS), a narrowing of the aortic valve, is among the
most common of all valvular heart diseases, impacting 1.5 million
in the U.S.1 Symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (ssAS)
can be fatal if left untreated and the average patient survival is
two years without treatment.2 Despite women's longer
life expectancy, once impacted by ssAS, women suffer from higher
mortality than men, even after matching for age.3
Alarmingly, 77% of women are living with chronic conditions that
increase their risk of aortic stenosis, including high blood
pressure (53%), high cholesterol (39%), and obesity (38%). Learn
more at MyInteractiveASJourney.com.
About Women as One
Women as One is a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization, founded in 2019 by internationally recognized
cardiovascular clinical trialists, Dr. Roxana Mehran and Dr.
Marie-Claude Morice. The mission of the organization is to promote
talent in medicine by providing unique professional opportunities
to women cardiologists, knowing that diversity of thought and
experience improves scientific discovery and patient outcomes. The
organization provides programs and services ranging from clinical
education and mentorship to clinical trial services. Through
resources dedicated exclusively to women cardiologists and the
patients they serve, Women as One effectively speeds up the rate at
which gender disparities in cardiology are adequately
addressed.
About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We
are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin,
Ireland, is the leading global
healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most
challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and
finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health,
and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people
across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70
health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics,
insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and
more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and
desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative
technologies that transform the lives of two people every second,
every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower
insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better
outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the
extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE: MDT),
visit www.Medtronic.com, and follow Medtronic on
LinkedIn.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic
reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual
results may differ materially from anticipated results.
1 Carabello BA, Paulus WJ. Aortic
stenosis. Lancet. March 14,
2009;373(9667):956-966.
2 Lester SJ, Heilbron B, Gin K, Dodek A, Jue J. The
natural history and rate of progression of aortic stenosis. Chest.
April 1998;113(4):1109-1114.
3 Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10:e018816. DOI:
10.1161/JAHA.120.018816.
Contact:
Ryan Weispfenning
Investor Relations
+1-763-505-4626
Kimberly Powell
Public Relations
+1-202-498-2601
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-survey-uncovers-lack-of-awareness-around-heart-valve-disease-and-risk-factors-among-women-302109798.html
SOURCE Medtronic plc