Women's Heart Health Takes Center Stage
The Australian Government's newly established Ministerial Expert Panel on Women's Health will first focus on women's heart health. This panel will work with professionals possessing a range of expertise and peak organizations that support women's cardiovascular health to identify practical ways to improve outcomes for women, girls, and gender-diverse people.
The Significant Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of illness and death for women in Australia. Statistics reveal:
- In 2022, approximately 1 in 4 female deaths were due to cardiovascular disease.
- More than half a million women are living with conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels.
- In 2021, nearly 40,000 women had a heart attack, unstable angina, or a stroke.
- There were 235,000 hospitalizations of women with cardiovascular disease in 2021-22.
Despite this, the risk for these conditions is largely under-recognized in women.
Symptom Differences and Diagnostic Challenges
Women often experience different symptoms than men during emergencies like heart attacks or strokes. This difference can lead to:
- Delayed diagnosis and treatment.
- Under-recognition of heart disease or stroke.
- Poorer health outcomes due to a lack of community knowledge about the symptoms women may experience.
How the Expert Panel Will Operate
The Panel will be supported by stakeholder roundtables to engage women from across the country who have experienced changes to their cardiovascular health, health professionals, and health stakeholders. Advice from experts with careers dedicated to women's cardiovascular health will help ensure policy is informed by the latest clinical evidence, research, and lived experience.
The establishment of the Panel continues the Australian Government's commitment to women's health and aims to empower women to take time and seek the care they need for their heart and vascular health at all stages of life.