The American Heart Association wants women to see red this month. A national campaign to call women to take charge of their heart health and live stronger, longer lives, Go Red For Women encourages wearing red Feb. 6 and for women to learn about their No. 1 killer.
Cardiovascular disease claims more women’s lives than the next seven causes of death combined — nearly 500,000 a year — and is mostly preventable.
Experts say the fault lies within the medical community and now is the time for change. “Women’s (heart disease) is a whole issue because they present symptoms often very differently from men and they tend to negate it and say they are too busy and have a family to take care of. This results in delayed diagnosis and treatment which could be life-saving,” says Dr. Dennis Goodman, Scripps Memorial’s chief of cardiology.
Goodman has been involved with the Heart Association since he arrived in the United States from South Africa in 1981 and on the association’s board for the last year. “Women are missing part of the story and the result is one in two women die of heart disease. They were more focused on breast cancer. One in 26 women die of breast cancer. It’s not the women’s problem, it’s how they are getting the message.”
Studies and trials tended to focus on men because they commonly have heart problems at an earlier age. Women tend to present later, most commonly after menopause.
That’s why the Go Red campaign is so important, Goodman says, “It brings women’s attention to what is going on. Time and energy is being put into making women aware of this disease.”
The campaign hopes to follow in the footsteps of the successful annual breast cancer campaign in October. Getting early evaluations, paying attention to symptoms and getting risk assessment will be stressed.
Participating in the campaign is as easy as enrolling online at www.s2mw.com/AHA/grfwReg.aspx to receive newsletters, e-cards and interactive tools to help you stay heart healthy.
The campaign kicks off with a luncheon Feb. 6 at Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. Exhibit and vendor booths open at 10 a.m. Cost is $100 per ticket. Call Bill Navrides at (619) 497-5746 or mail a check to the American Heart Association 3640 Fifth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103.
All it takes to get this going are small steps, Goodman says.
Area hospitals also are involved in the campaign and spreading the word.
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