Scottish women face higher death risk as doctors often dismiss their symptoms

Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland warns that Scottish women are suffering avoidable fatalities due to systemic bias in medical care. Women are 50 % more likely than men to receive an initial misdiagnosis after a heart attack and wait an average of 20 weeks for a heart-failure diagnosis, compared with 3.6 weeks for men. They also face twice the asthma mortality rate and receive fewer diagnostic tests and preventive medications after cardiac events.

In response, the charity launched a three-year women’s health strategy calling for gender-specific information, targeted campaigns, better clinician training and expanded post-diagnosis support. The plan is endorsed by health champion Anna Glasier and supported by patients such as Angela Bradley, a stroke survivor from Dalkeith. The initiative aligns with the Scottish Government’s broader women’s health agenda.