Madam Speaker, today we recognize February as American Heart Month. I salute the American Heart Association and other noteworthy organizations' ongoing efforts to eliminate heart disease, which affects millions of Americans every year.
Cardiovascular diseases are the number one killer of women and men.
These diseases currently claim the lives of more than half a million females every year. The American Heart Association estimates that one in two women will eventually die of heart disease or stroke. African American women face a four times higher risk of dying before the age of 60. Although cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among American women, studies show that women still do not recognize their risk, are unaware that their symptoms are different from men's, are less likely to seek treatment when faced with these symptoms, and are less likely than men to be referred for diagnostic testing and treatment by their physicians. It has not done enough to address women's healthcare needs.