Cardiovascular disease identified as leading cause of death for women

Medical experts and organizations in Belgium and the Netherlands are raising awareness regarding the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in women. The Belgian Cardiology League (BCL) reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, yet a survey of 1,021 Belgian citizens found only 25 percent were aware of this, with many mistakenly believing breast cancer is the primary cause.

Research indicates that women often experience different symptoms than men, such as dizziness, nausea, extreme fatigue, or discomfort in the neck and jaw, rather than the traditional chest pain. These subtle signs can lead to dangerous delays in diagnosis. Furthermore, biological factors like the loss of estrogen during menopause can remove a protective effect on blood vessel elasticity and cholesterol levels.

In the Netherlands, the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is participating in the national ‘Dress Red Day’ organized by the Hartstichting to highlight these gender differences. Medical professionals note that historical research often focused on men due to more stable hormone levels, leading to a lack of understanding regarding conditions like heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which is more common in women.