Healthcare providers highlight diagnostic gaps in women's heart disease

Medical professionals and public health organizations are highlighting the systemic diagnostic gaps in cardiovascular care for women. Unlike the classic chest pain and arm radiation often seen in men, female heart attack symptoms can be much more subtle, including discomfort in the jaw or shoulder blades that may occur even while at rest.

These atypical presentations often lead to misinterpretation by both patients and clinicians, who may mistake symptoms for general fatigue or malaise. This delay in recognition can increase the risk of severe outcomes such as heart failure and myocardial infarction.

To raise awareness, the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), in cooperation with the Hartstichting, observed ‘Dress Red Day’ to draw attention to these disparities. Experts note that historical medical research has predominantly focused on male physiology, leading to a lack of sex-disaggregated data. Healthcare institutions across the Netherlands, including UMC Utrecht, are working to expand diagnostic investigations and improve provider education to address these clinical blind spots.