The Women's Heart Bus hits the road again for 6 new stops: France's largest cardiovascular prevention campaign

After 9 cities visited between last March and June, the Women's Heart Bus will visit 6 more cities by the end of 2022: Le Havre, Lille, Marseille, Paris, La Baule and Bobigny. This free itinerant service, the largest ever organized and aimed primarily at women in vulnerable situations, has screened over 3,000 women since its launch a year ago. The edifying results of a study carried out among the first women welcomed on the Bus demonstrate the need for this type of action, symbolic of humane medicine.

I. THE URGENT NEED TO ACT FOR WOMEN'S HEARTS

In France, cardiovascular disease remains the 1st cause of death for women (26%, ahead of cancer 25%), with 76,000 deaths a year. And yet, in 8 out of 10 cases, a cardiovascular accident can be avoided by identifying risk situations and taking appropriate care (1). It's a disease of the environment, and it's women in vulnerable situations who are most affected (2). The prolonged confinement of the last two years has also meant that these women are somewhat more remote from gynecological surveillance (3).

To take concrete local action, the Bus du Coeur des Femmes has been offering cardiovascular, metabolic and gynecological screening to vulnerable women for the past year (Epice Simplifié score). The study* carried out on data collected in the first 5 test towns at the end of 2021 is alarming, and underlines the need to pursue and accelerate this action rapidly:

- 90% of participants have at least 2 cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors;
- 73% were abdominally obese (with an abdominal circumference greater than or equal to 88 cm);
- 67% said they were stressed and 26% had a depressive syndrome (stress and depression are major risk factors for cardiovascular accidents);
- 43% have arterial hypertension (AH), with blood pressure equal to or greater than 140/90 mm Hg. One in five has high grade 2 or 3 figures, and more than one in three did not know they were hypertensive before screening;
- 43% have at least 2 gyneco-obstetrical risk factors and at least 2 cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors;
- Among young women taking contraception with synthetic estrogen, 76% have at least one contraindication to their prescription (age > 35 years, BMI > 30 kg/m², active smoking). It's important to remember that contraception should not kill, but protect against unwanted pregnancy (3).

* Study carried out in partnership with the Research and Innovation Department of Lille University Hospital, involving 1,065 women aged 15 to 90 (average age 52) screened on the Women's Heart Bus between September and November 2021.

"Since the launch of the Women's Heart Bus, we have screened 3,000 women and put them back on a coordinated care pathway (3). By the end of the year, there will be over 4,000. Beyond the satisfaction of saving lives through this benevolent action, we will be able to produce an annual barometer of women's cardiovascular and gynaecological health in France. Few scientific studies are able to collect such precise and extensive data. This will enable us to monitor the evolution of the situation, the impact of prevention messages and the awareness of healthcare professionals of cardiovascular and gynecological pathways". Pr Claire Mounier-Véhier, cardiologist and vascular physician at Lille University Hospital, co-founder of Agir pour le Cœur des Femmes

II. HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT'S NEW ON THE WOMEN'S HEART BUS

The Women's Heart Bus is back on the road for 6 stops:

September 13 to 14: Le Havre
September 21 to 23: Lille
October 18-20: Marseille
November 8-10: Paris
November 16 to 18: La Baule-Saint Nazaire
November 23 to 25: Bobigny

Screening takes place in 8 stages:
 welcome and information,
 interview with the doctor,
 blood pressure measurements,
 measurements of metabolic parameters (weight, height and body mass index) & capillary glucose and lipid measurements,
 addictology interview,
 gynecological interview,
 summary with the doctor, organization of follow-up and
 introduction to blood pressure self-measurement, with a free blood pressure self-measurement device donated by Axa Prévention, and an explanation of the procedure and the readings to be completed.

From September 2022 onwards, the screening program will include two additional stages. Women will benefit from a resting electrocardiogram, to detect heart rhythm disorders or the after-effects of a heart attack. Those most at risk will benefit from arterial ultrasound screening.



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