Arterial Vascular Disease Underdiagnosed, Undertreated In Older US Women

ScienceDaily (Nov. 22, 2007) — Though arterial vascular disease is widespread and often deadly among older American women, doctors too often fail to spot and treat it, according to a new report by a team of vascular surgeons from the Columbia University Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College campuses of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

"Much of that is due to the fact that for years, cardiovascular research has focused almost exclusively on males, so in many cases we simply don't understand the true prevalence or level of threat women face from vascular disease," says the study co-author, Dr. Ageliki G. Vouyouka, assistant professor of surgery in the Department of Vascular Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, and a vascular surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. "Obviously, we need more trials focused on the vulnerability of women to these crippling and even lethal conditions."

read the full article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071121104052.htm