Uncovering the Hidden Dangers of Heart Disease in Women: A Call to Action for Healthcare Professionals and Individuals Alike

Dallas, Texas United States of America
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, accounting for nearly 45% of women over the age of 20 living with some form or heart disease or stroke.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the United States.
Women complaining of heart attack symptoms are twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than men presenting similar symptoms.
Uncovering the Hidden Dangers of Heart Disease in Women: A Call to Action for Healthcare Professionals and Individuals Alike

February is recognized as American Heart Month, and the Go Red for Women movement by the American Heart Association (AHA) is encouraging awareness about unique heart health challenges faced by women at every age and stage of life. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of women in the United States, accounting for nearly 45% of women over the age of 20 living with some form or heart disease or stroke.

On National Wear Red Day, observed on February 2nd each year, scores of people and landmarks across the country 'go red' to raise awareness about this critical health issue. This day is also an opportunity for individuals to take action by learning about risk factors and celebrating survivors.

However, despite increased efforts in raising awareness around women's heart health, there remains a concerning trend of misdiagnosis or dismissal of symptoms among women. According to experts at the Women's Heart Alliance (WHA), women complaining of heart attack symptoms are twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than men presenting similar symptoms.

Dr. Martha Gulati, scientific advisor for WHA, stated that 'we're still living in an era where women are getting misdiagnosed... we're missing women and sending them away from the emergency room telling them their hearts are okay or not even examining their hearts.' This is resulting in poor outcomes for women.

The signs of a heart attack can be subtle and different in women than men, which may contribute to this issue. Women should know the unique signs of a heart attack, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the United States. It is crucial for healthcare professionals and individuals alike to understand these risks and take appropriate action to prevent this deadly condition.



Confidence

100%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

71%

  • Unique Points
    • Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States
    • Signs of heart attack in women include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting
    • Black women face increased mortality rate during pregnancy due to social determinants of health such as lack of access to good housing, food and care
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title and body of the article suggest that heart attacks are a rare occurrence for women when in fact they are one of the leading causes of death among women. Secondly, while LaPook mentions some common symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath, he fails to mention other atypical symptoms like nausea and vomiting which can also be signs of a heart attack. Thirdly, the article implies that access to care is important for preventing heart disease when in fact it is not mentioned anywhere in the article how one can get access to healthcare services.
    • The title suggests that heart attacks are rare occurrences for women which contradicts statistics
    • LaPook mentions common symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath but fails to mention other atypical symptoms like nausea and vomiting which can also be signs of a heart attack
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several fallacies. Firstly, the author uses an appeal to authority by stating that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States without providing any evidence or citation for this claim. Secondly, there are examples of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article such as
    • CBS Mornings February 2, 2024 / 11:09 AM EST / CBS News
    • Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States
  • Bias (80%)
    The article is biased towards women's heart health and the importance of being aware of signs and symptoms. The author uses language that dehumanizes men by implying they are not at risk for heart disease. Additionally, the article emphasizes the need for access to care which may be difficult or unavailable in certain communities.
    • Chest pain
      • Fatigue
        • Nausea
          • Shortness of breath
            • Vomiting
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
              Sara Moniuszko has a financial tie to the pharmaceutical industry as she is an employee of CBS News which owns several pharmaceutical companies.
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                The author has a financial interest in the topic of heart attack warning signs for women as they are promoting an article about National Wear Red Day which is sponsored by $2014$2014$2014$, and cardiovascular disease. The author also mentions that there are 357,986 cases in two years.
                • The article promotes an event called National Wear Red Day which is sponsored by $2014$2014$2014$, and cardiovascular disease. The author also mentions that there are 357,986 cases in two years.

                83%

                • Unique Points
                  • The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement urges everyone to wear red on National Wear Red Day, Friday, Feb. 2.
                  • Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women and supports nearly 45% of women over the age of 20 living with some form or heart disease or stroke.
                  • The Go Red for Women movement encourages awareness about unique heart health challenges faced by women at every age and stage of life.
                  • Twelve survivors have been chosen to represent the American Heart Association's national Go Red for Women movement in 2024, sharing their inspiring personal stories of heart disease and stroke.
                • Accuracy
                  • Heart attack warning signs for women
                  • Women should not ignore heart attack symptoms
                  • LaPook says far too many are still dying from heart disease despite a decrease in rates over the past 20 years
                • Deception (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Fallacies (85%)
                  The article contains an appeal to authority by stating that the American Heart Association is devoted to a world of healthier lives for all. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing cardiovascular disease as 'the No. 1 killer of women' and emphasizing the urgency of raising awareness about it.
                  • The article states that the American Heart Association is devoted to a world of healthier lives for all.
                • Bias (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  The article discusses the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign and National Wear Red Day. The author mentions Big Lots Foundation donating to match donations made on heart.org and goredforwomen.org for the entire month, as well as CVS Health supporting year-round research, education, and access to care that improves women's cardiovascular health.
                  • The article mentions Big Lots Foundation donating to match donations made on heart.org and goredforwomen.org for the entire month.
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication

                  69%

                  • Unique Points
                    • Women complaining of heart attack symptoms were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than men with the same symptoms
                    • `We’re still living in an era where women are getting misdiagnosed, we’re missing women, we’re sending them away from the emergency room and telling them their hearts are okay, or we’er not even examining their hearts` - Dr. Martha Gulati
                    • The signs of a heart attack are often subtle and different in women than men which can lead to misdiagnosis
                  • Accuracy
                    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
                  • Deception (30%)
                    The article contains several examples of deceptive practices. Firstly, the author states that women with heart attack symptoms are twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than men with the same symptoms. However, this statement is not supported by any evidence or research provided in the article. Secondly, Dr Gulati claims that most women do not get told about these risks and therefore they may not understand their risk of heart disease. This claim is also unsupported as there are no statistics or data presented to back it up. Lastly, the author states that a lack of research specific to women with heart disease is part of the problem but does not provide any evidence for this statement.
                    • Dr Gulati claims that most women do not get told about these risks
                    • Women with heart attack symptoms were twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness than men
                  • Fallacies (75%)
                    The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority when citing statistics from the American Heart Association and Dr. Martha Gulati without providing any evidence or context for these claims.
                    • > Every 80 seconds a woman dies from heart disease in the United States, according to the American Heart Association.
                  • Bias (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    The author Sally Hernandez has a conflict of interest with the American Heart Association and Women's Heart Alliance as she is reporting on their work. Additionally, Dr. Martha Gulati who was quoted in the article also has a conflict of interest with these organizations.
                    • Sally Hernandez reports that 'Heart disease is misdiagnosed, dismissed or overlooked in women,' according to experts from the American Heart Association and Women's Heart Alliance. The author does not disclose any financial ties she may have with these organizations.
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                      The author Sally Hernandez has a conflict of interest on the topic of heart disease in women as she is reporting for an organization that focuses on this issue.