Let’s take cardiovascular disease for instance. Studies say that women are more likely to face a greater impact from a heart attack than men. This is often due to how symptoms manifest differently as compared to men, regardless of the heart health history. For example, while chest pain may be common to both and is easily identifiable, women also sometimes display atypical symptoms such as back ache and fatigue, which we often don’t associate with a heart attack and tend to ignore.
Technological innovations, such as remote monitoring, can help with better screening for heart distress. Insertable cardiac monitors track the workings of the heart, including anomalies, and help by alerting us to potential issues and irregular cardiac activity that can then be diagnosed by your doctor in conjunction with other symptoms and health history. Remote monitoring devices can gather data that may be used to study gender differences in the experience of cardiovascular conditions, paving the way for better care and solutions. New, relevant information helps create holistic treatment plans for women’s health and the detailed data collected over time also helps with identifying and addressing how certain health issues manifest in individual cases, regardless of gender.
Biowearables and sensor based technologies too are helping bridge information gaps and allowing for more in-depth research, that may have previously been lacking due to the under-representation of women in clinical trials. They also empower us to take charge of our health at home, making us more active participants in matters of our health. In cases of health issues unique to women, such as gestational diabetes, devices like continuous glucose monitors empower mothers-to-be with 24/7 data such as glucose variations and time-in-range allowing them to tackle dietary concerns and physical activity levels as per their readings and connect with doctors when the need arises. This can help improve delivery of care, while managing diabetes during pregnancy. Diabetes also has impact on fertility and menstrual health in women and menopause too can affect insulin resistance – making information gathered from continuous glucose monitoring tech all the more useful at every stage.
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