WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Kat Cammack (FL-03), Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, and Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13), Co-Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, Co-Chair Susie Lee (NV-03), and Co-Vice Chair Representative Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), led a bipartisan letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, calling for the prioritization of women’s cardiovascular health.
“Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of all. While many heart attacks, strokes, and deaths caused by CVD are preventable, the widespread lack of CVD awareness and subsequent lack of screening, diagnosis and treatment only broaden the impact this disease has on women,” wrote the signers. “All women deserve quality cardiovascular care with a focus on prevention, which includes access to innovative treatments when needed. Special attention should be focused on the disparities that exist among racial and ethnic groups. According to a report published by the American Heart Association, non-Hispanic Black women are more likely to suffer from CVD than their non-Hispanic White female peers. Between 2015 and 2018, the alarming prevalence of CVD was 42.1 percent in non-Hispanic white women, 42.7 percent in Hispanic women, and 58.8 percent in non-Hispanic Black women aged 20 years or older.”
“We support this bipartisan call to prioritize women’s cardiovascular care. The documented disparities in screening, treatment adherence, and access to innovative therapies such as PCSK9 inhibitors underscore the urgent need for action. Our work champions comprehensive care by eliminating barriers to life-saving treatments, and with greater support from Secretary Becerra and HHS leadership, we believe we can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and improve the health outcomes of women across the nation,” said Ryan Gough, Executive Director, the Partnership to Advance Cardiovascular Health.
This letter has also been endorsed by the American Heart Association.
