Gender inequalities in cardiovascular healthcare: a call to action

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature death in women, yet women are under-served by cardiovascular research and healthcare delivery. This article explores the history of the exclusion of women from the generation of medical evidence and the effect of this on the treatment of women today. Unconscious bias and its impact on cardiovascular care for women is also discussed, followed by the Department of Health and Social Care's 2022 ‘Women's health strategy for England’ and how this can be applied to cardiovascular care as a framework for future cardiac nursing.