MEDIA ADVISORY: First-of-its-kind summit will connect the overlooked realities of women’s heart health in Canada


OTTAWA, Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit (CWHHS) is set to begin virtually next week, attracting experts, health professionals, and women living with heart disease, to share and discuss the latest evidence and emerging trends in women's heart, brain and vascular health.

From February 10 to 13, participants will brainstorm strategies to eradicate the gap in women’s heart, brain, and vascular health, showcase important new research, and discover innovations in science, prevention, treatment, and recovery.

The alarming, albeit often-overlooked reality: Heart disease is the number one killer of women worldwide, killing more women each year than breast cancer and all gynecological cancers combined. Globally, cardiovascular disease affects one in every three women. Here in Canada, the number one cause of premature death for women is heart disease and stroke. Yet, in 2021, women everywhere are under-studied, underdiagnosed, under-treated, and under-aware when it comes to their heart health. Worse, heart disease is largely preventable considering 80% of a woman’s risk for heart disease can be attributed to factors she can change, such as smoking, hypertension and obesity.   

The CWHHS is co-hosted by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre (CWHHC) and Heart & Stroke. This year’s theme is Women’s Cardiovascular Health Puzzle: Connecting the Pieces to Understand the Whole.

Summit highlights include:

  • Emerging Needs as a Woman in the COVID-19 Era.
  • At the Heart of Women’s Health: Sex, Gender, and Intersectionality.
  • Mental Health as a Determinant of Cardiovascular Health in Women.
  • Communicating with Your Healthcare Provider: How to Maximize Your Time and Optimize Your Health.
  • Advancing the Journey to Equity for Women's Heart Health.
  • Aspirin for Primary Prevention in Women: Should I use it in 2021?

Typically held biannually in April, this year’s CWHHS will run in lockstep with February’s Heart Month events. The final day of the Summit coincides with Wear Red Canada Day, a national date for promoting women’s cardiovascular health awareness.  

Visit womensheartsummit.ca for more information or to review the full Summit program.

Media opportunities:

To request access to pre-recorded presentations, attend a live presentation, or to arrange an interview with a conference delegate, please contact the UOHI liaison below.

Media contact:

Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca 



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