Many women in the UAE underestimate the significant risks posed by heart disease, believing breast cancer to be the bigger threat, according to a new survey commissioned by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

In total, 82 percent of women who responded to the survey did not identify heart disease as the leading cause of death among women in the UAE.

Instead, breast cancer was misidentified as the number one threat by 46 percent of the women surveyed – the highest proportion in the survey.

Heart disease is the most frequent cause of death among women in the UAE and across the globe.

According to the World Health Organisation's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, EMRO, an estimated 54 percent of deaths from non-communicable diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are due to cardiovascular diseases. In October 2019, the World Heart Foundation revealed the rising global impact of cardiovascular diseases, noting a recorded 26 million heart failure patients worldwide.

"The results of this survey are concerning. They clearly reflect the success of breast cancer awareness campaigns, with women identifying it as the greatest threat to their health. However, heart disease kills more women every year than all cancers combined. If women are unaware of their risk, they are less likely to visit a doctor for preventative care or treatment," says Dr. Dima Quraini, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Compounding the lack of overall awareness, 76 percent of women surveyed did not know that men and women can experience heart attacks differently. A majority also failed to identify the unique symptoms of heart attack that women can experience.

Unlike men, women are more likely to experience a ‘silent heart attack’ with symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, indigestion, neck pain and fatigue. Only 31 percent of women surveyed associated these symptoms with heart attack, while 58 percent associated them with stress.

The most common risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, lack of exercise and smoking are generally well understood. However, the survey revealed that some of the unique factors that can increase women’s risk are not.

Only 17 percent of women understood that pregnancy can increase their risk of heart disease, a number which drops to just eight percent among Arab expatriates surveyed. Early menopause has been linked to an increase in the risk of heart disease, but 67 percent of women over 40 who responded to the survey were not aware of this possibility.

While people are generally aware that high blood pressure increases their risk of heart disease, just 24 percent of female respondents knew that it increases their risk more than it would a man’s.

"The bad news from this survey is that a significant proportion of women are unaware of their own risk factors. The good news is that, in 2020, we’re able to do something about it. Prevention really works and can reduce a woman’s chances of developing heart disease by up to eighty percent," Dr. Quraini affirmed.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is using Heart Month in February to raise awareness of heart disease, with a particular focus on women in the UAE. The hospital recently opened a women’s heart health clinic to ensure women receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary care tailored to their specific needs.

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