Women are waiting significantly longer to be diagnosed with heart failure than men, a new report has revealed, with delays associated with poorer quality of life, financial losses, mental health issues and avoidable deaths.
Heart failure, when the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, often occurs if the heart has become too weak or stiff, says the NHS. An early and accurate diagnosis is critical to ensure rapid access to treatment, reducing the risk of long-term complications and preventing early deaths.
The new report by Roche Diagnostics and the Pumping Marvellous Foundation analysed patient survey findings and hospitals statistics and highlights the missed opportunities to diagnose, as well as the hidden cost of late diagnosis.
Among the ‘hidden victims’ of heart failure, it identifies that female patients are 96% more likely to be misdiagnosed than men. While 44.5% of women surveyed said they were initially misdiagnosed, just 22.7% of male patients said the same. The most common misdiagnoses amongst women were asthma (30.4%), anxiety or depression (22.4%) and acid reflux (13.6%).
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I think its pretty common sense whats going on.
I’m glad its getting some attention as a problem.
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