![Decorative image](/sites/default/files/images/action-is-needed-now.jpg)
The Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance (CWHHA) is calling for action to address the critical gap in heart health programs designed specifically for women.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women in Canada, yet it continues to be under-researched, under-diagnosed, and under-treated. The lack of awareness—both among healthcare providers and the public—has resulted in significant disparities in care and outcomes.
Campaigns like Wear Red Canada, held annually on February 13, have played an essential role in changing the narrative around women’s health. However, the CWHHA is pushing for more than awareness—it is advocating for systemic change.
Powered by the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre (CWHHC) at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI), the network is urging policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to unite in expanding heart health programming for women across the country.
The gender gap in heart disease
Despite advances in healthcare, heart disease is still often seen as a male-dominated issue, leading to misdiagnoses, delayed treatment, and inadequate care for women. For example, women having heart attacks often experience symptoms such as nausea, fatigue, dizziness, indigestion, and back or shoulder pain—symptoms that are frequently misinterpreted or overlooked. As a result, many women don’t receive timely care, leading to worse outcomes.
This gap is not limited to heart attacks. Women are more likely than men to suffer from conditions like spontaneous coronary artery dissection, coronary vasospasm, microvascular dysfunction, and stress-induced cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart syndrome.”
These challenges are further exacerbated by the lack of comprehensive programs tailored to meet women’s unique cardiovascular health needs.
![Charlotte Girard](/sites/default/files/images/charlotte-girard.jpg)
Charlotte Girard, a CWHHA member since 2019, endured two years of debilitating symptoms, including chest pain, fatigue, and vision issues, before being diagnosed with cardiac microvascular angina and vasospasms.
Cardiac microvascular angina is chest pain caused by problems with the small blood vessels in the heart, which may not supply enough oxygen to the heart muscle. Vasospasms are sudden, temporary contractions of blood vessels, which can reduce blood flow and lead to chest pain or other symptoms. Both conditions can cause discomfort and breathing issues.
"The chest pain, shortness of breath from the least effort, cardiac spasms, and the brain fog—accompanied by ever-present extreme fatigue—were my daily struggles," said Ms. Girard of her experience. “I underwent numerous tests over 18 months, trying to get answers.”
Despite consulting multiple specialists, it was only after joining a support group and seeing a dedicated cardiologist that she received the correct diagnosis. After a three-year sick leave, she returned to work, settling in a more sedentary role until her retirement.
As a member of the CWHHA, she now advocates for women’s heart health to ensure timely, quality care.
The case for specialized programs for women
Stories like Ms. Girard’s are unfortunately all too common.
![Lisa Comber, UOHI](/sites/default/files/images/lisa-comber-uohi.jpg)
Currently, Canada has only seven specialized heart health programs focused on women, says Lisa Comber, who manages the CWHHA and oversees knowledge translation initiatives for the CWHHC.
Leading the way are the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre and the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative in Ontario, the Maritime Heart Centre’s Women’s Heart Health Clinic in Halifax, NS, Cardio F and the Women’s Healthy Heart Initiative in Montréal, QC, the Women’s Heart Clinic in Saskatoon, SK, and the Leslie Diamond’s Women’s Heart Health Clinic in Vancouver, BC.
However, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, as well as the Territories, currently lack these dedicated programs.
![Kerri-Anne Mullen, UOHI](/sites/default/files/images/kerri-anne-mullen.jpg)
Research shows that specialized programs can improve care and outcomes for women by addressing the unique conditions and risk factors that disproportionately affect them, such as peripartum cardiomyopathy, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and the cardiovascular impacts of menopause and other hormonal differences.
These programs offer not just treatment but also rehabilitation, long-term support, and culturally appropriate resources. Moreover, they help to develop essential research databases.
“These programs do more than treat heart disease,” says Dr. Kerri-Anne Mullen, a scientist and the director of the CWHHC at the UOHI. “They provide gender-specific resources and tailored support, ensuring comprehensive care at every stage of life.”
“The solutions to combat heart disease must recognize the distinct needs of women. Now is the time to act—together, we can build a heart-healthier future for all women in Canada and beyond.”
– Dr. Kerri-Anne Mullen, Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre
A call to action for women’s heart health
Dr. Mullen and her colleagues are confident the CWHHA’s call to action will inspire swift and meaningful change. By educating both patients and healthcare providers about the sex and gender disparities in heart disease, the hope is to foster earlier diagnoses and more effective treatments down the road.
“To improve outcomes for women, we need a more collaborative, integrative approach to research, data sharing and clinical care,” says Dr. Mullen. “This includes working hand in hand with clinicians, researchers, and most importantly, with women with lived experience, who are essential partners in everything we do. By pooling our resources and using clinical practice data we can address key questions more efficiently.”
Currently, clinical guidance for heart disease is largely based on studies involving men, says Dr. Mullen, leaving women’s health needs underrepresented. By better organizing and sharing data – and involving women in the discussions about their care – healthcare providers can develop more effective treatment protocols consistent with the needs and priorities of women.
Looking ahead: The Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit
This spring, the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit in Ottawa will bring together experts and authorities to discuss, among other topics, the creation of a national strategy for women’s heart health. Leaders from the dedicated women’s programs and other Alliance members will be at the table.
"We’re in the process of creating an operational guideline that brings together the best practices from all program leads across the country,” says Lisa Comber. “This will help us capture what’s been done so far and inform a national strategy for future projects aimed at improving women’s heart health in Canada."
“In the next five years, we hope that increased programming will promote better collaboration, more research, and a standardized approach to understanding and treating sex and gender differences in heart health.”
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