WOMEN WAIT TWICE AS LONG FOR CARDIAC DIAGNOSIS

A NEW report has been launched the Irish Heart Foundation and Roche Diagnostics, which reveals data showing that women in Ireland are waiting nearly twice as long as men to receive a heart failure diagnosis.

The report, State of the Heart: Examining the current state of heart failure diagnosis and care in Ireland, analyses data from a first of its kind survey, shedding light on the realities of being diagnosed with heart failure. It’s a condition estimated to affect around 2 per cent of the Irish population.

The report identifies a significant gender disparity between the experiences of male and female patients, with female patients waiting longer to be diagnosed with heart failure than men. On average, women have to wait five weeks to receive a formal diagnosis of heart

failure, compared to men who have to wait three weeks. Women are also more likely to delay seeking help after first developing symptoms, with females making appointments at four weeks.

The report also found that 72 per cent of patients said that their lives would have been better if they had received their diagnosis earlier. It revealed that a delayed diagnosis can have negative emotional, social, and financial impacts on patients with heart failure.

Dr Angie Brown, Consultant Cardiologist and Medical Director at the Irish Heart Foundation, said: ‘We need a fully funded National Cardiovascular Policy and Strategy to ensure optimal treatment and care of people across the full spectrum of heart conditions.’