Jean-Pierre Usdin
American Hospital of Paris, France
Title: Women cardiovascular disease: What’s new 15-year later?
Biography
Biography: Jean-Pierre Usdin
Abstract
In February 2004 the emblematic journal of American Heart Association « Circulation” did a special issue focused on cardiovascular disease in women. It was time to inform female population about the burden of stroke, myocardial infarction. Women were aware of cancer especially Breast but ignore the price they paid to cardiovascular disease: the worldwide leading cause of women’s death. Active associations like women in Red spread the information in USA. European Society Cardiology was not in rest with the campaign Women at Heart. So what, 15 years passed and cardiovascular disease are still the first cause of death in women, ahead all form of cancer. What happened? Why? This persevering situation in spite of many efforts done by Media, university, care of physicians, cardiologists? Among numerous reasons, two main seem to emerge: Number one: In doctors minds the concept of women cardiovascular disease still remain far from their awareness. Women’s cardiovascular disease specificity is now a part of our training but preconceived ideas have a long life. Number two: the warning of cardiovascular disease does not work. Justified women’ fears of breast cancer are at the tip of their preoccupation. Cardiovascular diseases does not afraid women (men too) and cancerous tumour done. We continue to see women smoking, being obese, pursuing a sedentary life, and not informing their daughter about the danger of this attitude. Women accept cancer screening but they rarely perform blood sugar and cholesterol test. We cardiologists, attending physician, medical society, government, media have to be vigilant, specifickly in women who suffered from preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, healed from a breast cancer and continuously repeat cardiovascular diseases kill more people than cancer.