HeartFlow this week published the findings of a 1,500-person consumer survey, reporting that just 29% of respondents knew that heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among adults in the U.S.
Half of the survey’s participants said that breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women, rather than heart disease.
“We are aiming to raise awareness that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men. It’s not just a man’s disease, as commonly thought,” Dr. Campbell Rogers, HeartFlow’s chief medical officer, said in prepared remarks.
“The symptoms for women are often different than the classic ‘clutching of the heart’, so it’s important for both women and men to visit their doctor if something doesn’t seem right,” he added.
In the survey, 77% of respondents said they were worried about their heart health but 67% added that they’ve never sought out diagnosis or treatment.
HeartFlow also reported that 78% of the survey’s participants said they trust technology powered by artificial intelligence to assist doctors and that most respondents believe that a combination of technology and human analysis leads to the most accurate diagnosis.
“At HeartFlow, we firmly believe that technology will play an integral role in changing patient care for the better,” president & CEO Dr. John Stevens said in prepared remarks. “However, the physician’s role in the patient journey is crucial and we expect to see the best care administered only when doctors and technology work hand in hand.”
