‘Go Red For Women’ working to change women’s heart health for the better

The American Heart Association reports nearly half of U.S. women age 20 and older are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. As a cardiologist, I see this statistic reflected in the lives of women, many with no prior history or clear symptoms, facing diagnoses that might have been prevented or caught earlier.

Women experience unique physiological and hormonal changes that raise their cardiovascular risk. Conditions like preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and early menopause are linked to increased lifetime risk. Yet women remain underrepresented in cardiovascular research, clinical trials, and guideline development, leading to disparities in care and outcomes.

That’s why the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement and our local Cedar Rapids initiative is so vital. Since 2004, Go Red for Women has worked to close gaps in care, raise awareness, improve access, and empower women to take charge of their heart health.

Heart health isn’t defined by charts alone. Psychosocial stress, caregiving responsibilities, socioeconomic barriers, and lack of preventive care all impact women especially those balancing work and family who often put their own health last. That must change.

Go Red for Women invites every woman, and those who care about them, to act: know your numbers, understand your risks, learn the symptoms of heart disease and stroke in women, and advocate for equitable care. Together, we can create a future where every woman is seen, heard, and receives proper care. Visit www.heart.org/CedarRapidsGoRed to learn more and take the first step.

Dr. Richard Kettelkamp

Cardiologist, St. Luke’s Heart Care, Unitypoint Health

Cedar Rapids