American Heart Association Plays a Cruel Trick on Women

Renew America ^ | January 30, 2008 | Carey Roberts

[FreeManDC]

Ladies, when was the last time you visited a nursing home? Did you wonder why nearly all the residents were women? The reason is simple — men meet their maker 5 years sooner than members of the fairer sex.

It wasn't always that way. Back in 1920, men and women had almost identical life spans. But the looming threat of heart disease widened that gap. American men now have heart disease death rates that are 50% higher than women's. (The federal report Health, United States, 2007, Table 29 reveals the death rates are 268 in men, compared to only 177 in women).

Most persons have never heard of Lois Verbrugge, a researcher at the University of Michigan. A few years ago Dr. Verbrugge did a study on elderly women. She found that compared to their married counterparts, single elderly women are four times more likely to end up in a nursing home.

Which means after your husband dies of heart disease, you are four times more likely to be removed from your home and taken to an institutional setting to spend your last days in medicated bliss. That's what happened to several ladies I've known.

And what about men who keel over from heart disease in their 40s and 50s? What happens to their wives and children?

Last year my friend Bill died from a debilitating heart problem. His wife never wanted to be the family breadwinner. That's what she's doing now.

And Randy died suddenly while jogging one morning. His two sons, now in their 20s, will never again experience a father's love.

So men are at far greater risk of heart disease, and their premature deaths portend institutionalization and financial hardship for their wives.

You'd think the American Heart Association would have programs designed especially to help men. They don't.

But not to worry, the AHA does have a gender-specific program — "Go Red for Women."

That's right, the Heart Association has designated this Friday, February 1 as National Wear Red Day. Here's the latest fashion tip from the AHA:

"National Wear Red Day has its own dress code. Wear your favorite red clothes or accessory — a red blouse, a red dress pin, a fabulous red handbag."

That's not all: "Put on red lipstick, or sport a red tie and red socks. Go red in your own fashion show to show your support for women and the fight against heart disease." [www.goredforwomen.com/national_wear_red_day.aspx]

Really folks, I'm not making this up!

So when you pay a visit to grandma at the nursing home this weekend, she's gonna feel a whole lot better if you're sporting red socks and red shoes. And that widow who lives down the street — be sure to remind her to pull out that fabulous red handbag she stowed away after the funeral.

To complete the irony of Go Red for Women, show her a tribute card, courtesy of the AHA: "Go Red for Women — American Heart Association — A donation has been made in honor of [fill in name of former husband, father, brother, or son]."

Seriously, when it comes to the real needs of real women, it's obvious the pointy-headed execs at the AHA don't have a clue. So it's up to women bring the Heart Association to its senses.

Call Mr. Cass Wheeler, head of the American Heart Association. His number is 1-800-242-8721. Send a message to the PR department: elizabeth.moreno@heart.org [elizabeth.moreno-at-heart.org]. Or just call your local heart association office.

We all want to know how the American Heart Association answers these two questions:

1. Why does the Heart Association want to deprive aging women of the main source of their financial support?

2. Why does the AHA want to send more elderly women to nursing homes?

And while we're at it, why don't we ask if they believe men's hearts count for less?

[RC2]

Ah hell.......we all know that but it’s more fun to complain. But have you ever looked at the eyes of a loved one in a nursing home? They say a lot.

[luckystarmom]

I’d rather be in a nursing home then be a burden to my children.

As long as I pick the nursing home when I am able to, I am okay with it.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to afford a nurse to take care of me, but if I can’t then I’m okay going to a nursing home.

[Teacher317]

1. Why does the Heart Association want to deprive aging women of the main source of their financial support?
2. Why does the AHA want to send more elderly women to nursing homes?
And while we're at it, why don't we ask if they believe men's hearts count for less?

Moronic hyperbole. Pathetic.

[ECM]

If you can afford a nice one, by all means. But if you’ve seen (and worked) in some of the places I have, you’d be *glad* to be a “burden” on your children.

[Kirkwood]

I guess she wants the AMA to have a wear blue for men day.

[luckystarmom]

I would not be a burden on my children. I was not raised that way. My grandparents picked their nursing homes. My parents have one picked out.

I’ll do the same.

Some are bad, and some are okay. Of course, the good ones are usually more expensive. It just means you have to save more money and be prepared.

[CholeraJoe]

Some states have seen fit to mandate that all girls get the HPV vaccine.

Did it ever occur to you that is because Gardasil (HPV vaccine) is only tested and approved in women? It may not work in men, or it may make little boys grow breasts or sing show tunes.

[Vor Lady]

Not me! We have six children and they are all arguing over who ‘gets’ to have me and hubby live with them when we get ‘old’. They have this attitude because we cared for my mother-in-law in our home until she died. They got to see some of the hardship, but they also got to experience the joys of their grandma.

I’ve worked in nursing homes and they are not for the faint hearted. My mother-in-law had to spend some time in a home for rehabilitation after breaking her pelvis. It cost us $7000 a month for her care and her drugs. You better have a lot saved if you want a quality (sufficiently staffed by caring, trained people) nursing home.

[sr4402]

But have you ever looked at the eyes of a loved one in a nursing home? They say a lot.

The Scriptures say that a man who does not provide for his family is worse than an infidel. This responsibility can be through a nursing home especially in latter year Alksheimers.

A man who doesn't have kids or an army to keep his elderly Alksheimers wife from vanishing into Lost and Gone Forever, a good nursing home is a godsend.

The Home I minister in has a husband who lives at the same home where his Alksheimers wife does. This is how he meets his responsibility to love His wife.

IMHO, it is best that one keeps ones loved ones at home to the best of ones abilities. Sometimes, the needs go beyond the abilities of the best of us.

So I would not be too cruel with those who have been pushed beyond the extreme. The Lord humbles the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

[Unassuaged]

Men get cancer from HPV?

Anywhere near the rate/severity of women?

[doc30]

Finally, a common sense posting. THe other issue is that the symptoms of heart attacks are different between men and women, with most education on warning signs being for men. So it is important that women get educated, and still make sure men stay educated. Eat right and excercise helps.

[pabianice]

Henney Youngman:

Q: Why do Jewish men die before their wives?

A: They WANT to. (ta-da-bump!)

[SuziQ]

The reason that the American Heart Association is running this campaign is because many woman have heart problems that go undiagnosed. Doctors are in the habit of screening men for heart disease, because, yes, it is more prevalent in men. That doesn't mean that women shouldn't also be screened, and the AHA is simply making women aware of that. Many times, women in their 50's start having problems with their heart, that they dismiss as symptoms of menopause. These problems could be fixed, if caught early enough, but they're usually not, so making women aware of this can be extremely helpful.

I don't know why you're making this into such a gender thing. Men DO get screened, and heart disease in men has gotten the lion's share of research dollars in the past. I'm glad this research has been done, but I never got my knickers in a twist over it because they weren't doing as much research on women at the time.

I'm just thankful that my own doctor was interested enough in the symptoms I was having on Christmas Day that he seconded my desire to go to the ER. Turns out, my heart function was down to 15%. It had nothing to do with disease, thank goodness, they think it was a virus that attacked my heart, but my Doc put the symptoms together and assumed it was a problem with my heart, when I just thought it was bronchitis, or walking pneumonia, on top of menopause.

[MEGoody]

This is just a bit weird. The AHA does plenty for heart disease regardless of gender.

Women's symptoms when they have a heart attack are often not like those that would be expected. They can often have a heart attack and not even know that is what it was. Because of that, they may not seek medical treatment - at least, not in time. (My mother had a heart attack and never knew it until years later. By the, of course, the damage to her heart was killing her.)

In addition, heart disease is growing at a much faster rate among women than men.

So, I don't have a problem with this effort by the AHA to draw attention to these issues. It doesn't mean they aren't doing anything for men.

[live+let_live]

“Back in 1920, men and women had almost identical life spans. But the looming threat of heart disease widened that gap.”

I call Bullsh—

I bet they are using average life span for the comparison.

Childbirth used to be much more risky than it is today. When the death-during-childbirth rates dropped, the average lifespan for women went up.

[Caramelgal]

There seems to be a lot of misplaced anger in this article….Because it if primarily men who suffer from heart disease, the majority of the funding for heard disease research is already going to help men.

The Go Red for Women program is probably the result of Women who are active in supporting Heart Disease awareness feeling like women get left out because most of the generalized programs end up concentrating on men.

I think you are right. There is a perception that it is mostly men who suffer and die from heart disease but in truth, more women die from heart disease than do from breast cancer, yet most heart disease programs and heart disease drugs and cholesterol lowering drugs are targeted toward men and a very large amount of money is being spent on breast cancer (a very worthy cause and not to be ignored) but to ignore women in heart disease research who are equally at risk, is to ignore almost half of the entire population.

I had a woman friend in her late 30’s who was told, despite her symptoms and without any diagnostic tests, was told she not having heart problems. She soon after had a near fatal heart attack. If her doctor’s had not ignored her clinical symptoms in time and dismissed her based on the current research and risk factors primarily focused on men and their risk factors, she may have not suffered a near fatal and very debilitating heart attack. If her husband and presented with the very same risk factors and symptoms had gone to his doctor, he would have been given a stress test and other diagnostic tests and his symptoms would not have been passed off as having PMS and “emotional problems”.

The Go Red for Women program is only meant to heighten awareness among women that they are also at risk and not immune from heart disease.

And what about men who keel over from heart disease in their 40s and 50s? What happens to their wives and children?

And what happens to husbands and their children and grand children when a woman in her 40’s or 50’s; a wife and mother and grandmother, dies an early and possibly preventable death due to heart disease. Is her death any less felt by her husband and family?

[SuziQ]

And what happens to husbands and their children and grand children when a woman in her 40’s or 50’s; a wife and mother and grandmother, dies an early and possibly preventable death due to heart disease. Is her death any less felt by her husband and family?

Precisely!