Women’s Health Equity Initiative:

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) – which broadly describes disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels – includes ischemic heart (or coronary artery) disease, stroke, heart failure, and arrhythmia. CVD is the leading cause of death among women in the United States and globally.

• 1 in 5 women in the U.S. die from cardiovascular disease each year.
• Women experiencing chest pain wait 11 minutes longer to get care in the emergency department than men with the same symptoms.
• 57% of stroke deaths in 2019 were women.

More than 44% of women (60 million) in the United States are living with some form of heart disease. While common symptoms of cardiovascular disease include pain and pressure in the chest; radiating pain to the neck, shoulder, back, and arm; difficulty breathing; cold sweats; heartburn; and palpitations, women can also display unique and often milder signs and symptoms than men.

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Learn More About Cardiovascular Disease

Background on Heart Health

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Heart Health Call To Action

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Explore Other Health Conditions in the Women’s Health Equity Initiative