HEALTH, EQUALITY, PRIORITY

Seven women die every minute from cardiovascular disease in Europe.¹⁻²

LET'S ACT

Cardiovascular risk inequalities: Women are the #1 victims.

Often perceived as a male health issue, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among women worldwide. Despite this, there is still a lack of awareness and prevention of these diseases among women, leading to under-diagnosis, under-treatment, and therefore increased mortality.³

Hypertension, a silent killer. Especially in women.

1st risk factor

in the development of cardiovascular diseases⁴

62% of hypertensive women are unaware they have it⁵

1/3 of women suffer from hypertension⁶

"Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases⁴ (such as stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and fibrillation) and therefore the leading cause of death."

The devastating mechanisms of hypertension

Hypertension silently damages the entire cardiovascular system: in response to increased pressure, the heart thickens and arteries become more rigid, disrupting the function of sensitive organs like the kidneys, heart, or brain, leading to death or serious cognitive or motor after-effects.⁴

Our pledge

Our fight: detect, raise awareness, and change the paradigm of women's cardiovascular health

Home monitoring of blood pressure is a necessity

Adjust blood pressure standards for women

Same diseases, increased risks, female-specific factors

"Gender inequalities impact health, particularly for women, who often prioritize others' care over their own due to cultural norms. This lack of self-care and delayed consultations result in an average diagnostic delay of four years, significantly reducing treatment effectiveness."

Adapt medicine

Women and men have different DNA and therefore different physiology. Their medicine should also differ.

Indeed, female and male DNA differ, having consequences in their functioning, especially at the cardiovascular level. For example, sex chromosomes influence hormone production, thus altering the risk of diseases: estrogen protects women from heart diseases while increasing the risk of certain cancers, like breast cancer.¹⁰

Under-representation of women in research

Clinical studies in cardiology have traditionally favored male cohorts, leading to an insufficient understanding of gender-specificities in cardiovascular diseases, affecting the development of effective and suitable treatments for women.⁹

Specific risk factors

Stress and hormonal changes like menopause significantly impact women's cardiovascular health. Enhancing awareness and medical education about these factors is vital for prevention and diagnosis.¹⁰

Inequalities in cardiovascular treatment

Women are treated for their cardiovascular diseases less often than men. Only 20% of hypertensive women have balanced blood pressure thanks to effective and suitable care and treatment.¹⁻¹²

"We closely follow European and American cardiology recommendations, conduct clinical studies, and analyze real-life data on a large scale. This approach drives change toward a greater understanding of female hypertension and promotes individualized women's care."

Monitoring hypertension and its consequences

Monitoring cardiovascular health and hypertension involves tracking a set of biomarkers in addition to blood pressure: heart rate, ECG, arterial stiffness, activity score, body composition, and percentage of body fat.

"I have been diagnosed with a complete third-degree atrioventricular block. Despite maintaining 95% oxygen saturation while in the hospital, this sensation of asphyxiation causes me significant anxiety. ScanWatch allows me to monitor my sleep and oxygen levels to reassure myself, but also to provide my data to my doctor."

"Having experienced diabetes and low blood pressure during my previous pregnancy, being able to easily monitor my heart rate and blood pressure data at home has become essential for me to prevent any potential discomfort."

"My Withings devices helped power my convalescence and allowed me to share my measurements with my doctor."

Withings: a powerful home detection ecosystem. Without additional gestures.

To support women's health, Withings offers powerful health scans that are integrated into our watches, scales, and blood pressure monitors. These devices work together and form a user-friendly, holistic health monitoring system that can detect pathologies early, and encourage positive lifestyle changes.

Withings partners with hospitals and universities around the world, actively contributing to accelerating the technological revolution in healthcare. Our clinical research aims to better understand and manage female hypertension.

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