Health Minister Jeane Freeman is being urged to address the treatment of women heart patients after experts revealed an alarming difference in male and female survival rates.
The Sunday Post last week revealed experts’ concerns over research showing women who suffered a heart attack were twice as likely to die in hospital as men.
Ken Gibson MSP, who has written to Ms Freeman, said: “Heart disease has a significant impact on the health of women in Scotland and, worryingly, it is also evident that there are inequalities in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes.
“Coronary heart disease kills nearly three times as many women as breast cancer in Scotland, and yet awareness about breast cancer is far higher.”
Mr Gibson is calling for the appointment of a national women’s heart health champion to identify key problems.
He is also seeking the development of a national register of heart patients; the use of mixed-gender cardiology teams after their introduction in Flordia reduced heart deaths among women; and a national awareness campaign.
Kylie Strachan, of British Heart Foundation Scotland, said: “We recognise this research as an important piece of work and it is good to see such a level of interest.”
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