Murkowski Promotes Women’s Health Through Senate Resolution
Senator Continues to Advocate for Health Screening at the Workplace
WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Lisa Murkowski introduced a resolution this week to promote women’s heart health in conjunction with National Women’s Health Week. Her bipartisan Women’s Heart Health Resolution recognizes that cardiovascular disease continues to be an overwhelming threat to women’s health, and promotes the importance of encouraging basic, preventive heart screenings for women wherever they seek what amounts to primary care.
“Despite critical improvements in women’s heart health, the fact remains that heart disease is still the number one killer of women in the United States” Murkowski said. “Incorporating basic cardiovascular screening as a routine part of a woman’s preventive care can help with understanding risk factors and what can be done to avoid or reduce them.”
Studies show, for example, that nearly one in five women today depend solely on their OB/GYN for all of their primary care needs, but in most cases, OB/GYNs are not talking to their patients about their number one health threat, heart disease. Since 1984, the number of deaths from heart disease for women has exceeded those for men, yet only 54 percent of women recognize that their number one killer is heart disease.
Senator Murkowski was joined in introducing the legislation by Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). The Women’s Heart Health Resolution has been referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
Earlier this week, Senator Murkowski also penned a blog post for Women’s Health Digest informing readers of her concerns about genetically engineered salmon: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/senator-lisa-murkowski
