"Heart disease has been perceived as a disease affecting men - however, it is one of the leading causes of death for women"

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has launched a new, online resource aimed at improving women’s heart health.

In Scotland, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for women, killing nearly three times as many women compared to breast cancer. There are over 90,000 women living with heart disease in the country.  

The charity funded the HEARTe15 resource in response to the call to action outlined in the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.

This calls for inequalities in health outcomes of heart disease to be reduced through increased awareness, education and access to quality healthcare to address sex-specific differences in relation to heart disease management. 

The free HEARTe15 resource has been developed by the charity in conjunction with health professionals and people living with heart conditions. HEARTe15 sits within the wider package of HEARTe resources developed by the charity. It is easily accessible via the charity’s website. 

HEARTe15, which is aimed at both the general public and health professionals, covers heart disease symptoms and risks for women, sex- related differences in presentation and scenarios of heart disease management in women of all ages. The content is interactive and evidence based. 

Maggie Simpson is a cardiology advanced nurse practitioner who was involved in the module's creation alongside the team at CHSS.

She said: “Raising awareness of women's heart health in Scotland is crucial. Historically, heart disease has been perceived as a disease affecting men. However, heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for women. 

“A lack of awareness of women’s heart risk leads to delays to diagnosis, inadequate access to treatments and poorer outcomes. By increasing awareness, we can empower women to recognise and reduce risk of developing heart disease as well as the signs and symptoms of heart disease to support early care.  

“We can also improve awareness and education of healthcare professionals about women’s heart risk and the importance of being proactive in ensuring early diagnosis and access to guideline directed management.” 

The launch of the module is just one of the ways Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is looking to tackle health inequalities faced by women in Scotland, as outlined in the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan. It also reflects the organisation’s commitment to reach 175,000 people by 2028 through its Community Healthcare Support Service model. 

Earlier this year, the charity launched a partnership with the Scottish FA to encourage more women in Scotland to take up recreational football to improve health outcomes. The charity also runs an online Peer Support Group for women living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and long Covid. 

Jane-Claire Judson, chief executive of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said:“We are very proud of the quality of our HEARTe15 resource, and we already know from feedback from women living with heart disease that the information provided is having an impact.” 

To access this new resource visit 15. Women's Health - CHSS eLearning.