According to research group, 10.8 million US women have PAD
At the 2018 New Cardiovascular Horizons (NCVH) meeting, there was a new session called “Gender and Racial Disparities in Peripheral Interventions”, in which the SAGE group presented a talk titled “Prevalence and Epidemiology Burden of Peripheral Artery Disease and Venous Disease in Women“.
Mary Yost, President of the SAGE Group, presented some startling facts regarding peripheral vascular disease (including Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD and Venous Disease):
- 10.8 million women in the US have PAD
- 40 million women in the US have venous disease
- PAD afflicts 3x more women than breast cancer
- Venous disease affects 11x-17x more women than breast cancer
- The annual economic burden of PAD in women is $128 – $226 billion
The fact that the disease is underestimated and underdiagnosed was highlighted, and the importance of early detected was discussed as well.
Women and Venous Ulcers
Mary Yost also spent time highlighting venous disease, and countering the misperception that varicose veins, one of the most common forms of chronic venous disease (CVD), is oftentimes dismissed as a cosmetic issue.
Their research indicated that varicose veins progress to more severe venous categories, including ulcers, at a 2% – 4% annual rate. In addition, women represented 75% of patients with venous ulcers.
In terms of the economic burden of venous ulcers in women, the SAGE group estimates the annual cost to be $11 – $30 billion.
