WomenHeart Publishes Policy & Research Recommendations and Findings from Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Risk Patient Survey in May/June 2016 Women's Health Issues Journal

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease released policy and research recommendations from the first National Policy & Science Summit on Women's Cardiovascular Health held on October 26, 2015 in Washington, DC. The findings were announced on May 17, 2016 at WomenHeart's Congressional briefing Advancing Women's Heart Health through Policy and Research. Summit recommendation were also presented in a commentary, Advancing Women's Heart Health Through Policy and Science: Highlights from the First National Policy and Science Summit on Women's Cardiovascular Health published in the May/June 2016 issue of Women's Health Issues, the official journal of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University.

The following policy and research recommendations were identified in order to address sex and gender differences in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcomes of heart disease in women:

• Hold the NIH, FDA, AHRQ, CDC, and private funders accountable for enforcing policies regarding inclusion, analysis and reporting of results by sex and gender.
• Develop, fund, and launch a public awareness campaign highlighting women living with heart disease who have participated in and benefitted from medical research.
• Advocate for research funding that addresses women's heart health, including  during pregnancy and recognition of sex and gender risk factors.
• Promote appropriate use of cardiac rehabilitation services among women.

"We will join with our partners in the public and private sectors to implement the recommendations issued by the leaders in women's cardiovascular health and women heart patients at the National Policy & Science Summit," said Mary McGowan, Chief Executive Officer, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. "Working together on initiatives in support of the recommendations will result in better patient outcomes for the leading cause of death of women."

The May/June 2016 issue of Women's Health Issues also featured an article about the findings of WomenHeart's national survey of women living with atrial fibrillation, Quality of Life Experiences among Women with Atrial Fibrillation: Findings from an Online Survey which can be accessed here.

WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is the nation's only patient centered organization serving the 43 million American women living with or at risk for heart disease – the leading cause of death in women. WomenHeart is solely devoted to advancing women's heart health through advocacy, community education, and the nation's only patient support network for women living with heart disease. WomenHeart is both a coalition and a community of thousands of members nationwide, including women heart patients and their families, physicians, and health advocates, all committed to helping women live longer, healthier lives. To receive a free online heart health action kit or to donate, visit www.womenheart.org

WomenHeart's May 17, 2016 Congressional briefing was sponsored by Gilead, Boston Scientific, Amgen and Boehringer Ingelheim. WomenHeart's Congressional briefing partners are the American Heart Association, Association of Black Cardiologists, Black Women's Health Imperative, The FH Foundation, Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc., Heart Failure Society of America, Mended Hearts, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, Society for Women's Health Research, StopAfib.org and Women's Heart Alliance.

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SOURCE WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

Related Links

http://www.womenheart.org