Heart Health Tech: Why Women Are Left Out

Heart problems in women often go unnoticed. Doctors and tools designed to help don't always consider the unique needs of women. This is a big issue because heart disease shows up differently in women than in men. Yet, many digital health tools, like apps and wearables, don't account for these differences. A recent study looked at 20 heart health apps and 22 wearables. Only a few of them included features specific to women, such as tracking menstrual cycles or considering changes during pregnancy or menopause. This means most of these tools are not really helpful for women. They are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach, which doesn't work.Why does this happen? One reason is that women have been left out of medical research for a long time. This has led to a lack of understanding about how heart disease affects women. As a result, the tools meant to help manage heart health don't address women's specific needs. This is not just about missing out on features. It's about health inequities. Women deserve tools that understand their bodies and their unique risks. Until digital health tools catch up, women will continue to be underserved. It's time for a change. Health tech companies need to listen to women and create tools that work for them. Only then can we bridge the gap in heart health care.