Letter to my mother
Women and heart disease: Those most at risk are most in need of the conversation.
Start a new conversation about women’s heart health — one letter at a time.
Heart health is not one size fits all:
Women need their own answers.
The United States is at a tipping point when it comes to women’s health, and heart health remains the deadliest concern of all.1 For more than 100 years, cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in women, accounting for about one out of every three female deaths (more than all cancers combined).2,3 Medtronic is working relentlessly to ensure women receive personalized, evidence-based solutions, tailored to them.
Turning the page on women’s heart health: A pledge to Mom
This May, during Women’s Health Month and Mother’s Day, we encourage people to make the pledge to talk to their mother or the women in their lives about heart health. From high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats to common conditions like heart valve failure (severe aortic stenosis)† and coronary artery disease, it’s important today and every day to not skip a beat — learn your family history, risk factors, and the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
Starting a new conversation about women’s heart health — one letter at a time
Receiving the right advice at the right time can impact your life, and in the case of heart disease, may help save your life.1 One letter can help start a new conversation about what it means to take care of your own heart health. What would you say to your mother or a woman in your life if you knew it could change the course of her life?
The deadliest disease women aren’t talking about.‡
A new Medtronic-sponsored survey of women ages 30–50 sheds light on a gap in awareness and discussion around heart health, despite more than 60 million women in the United States living with some form of heart disease.‡ Women discuss sensitive topics like “the birds and the bees” and body image — but heart health is left out of conversations at the doctor’s office and dinner table.
60%
of women find it hard to make their own health a priority.‡
30%
of women have not talked with a healthcare provider about their heart health.‡
44%
of women have talked about their heart risk with their family.‡
As a mother, I believe it is crucial to be open about my heart health with my daughters. Sharing my own journey from heart valve failure to recovery not only empowers them with knowledge but also encourages them to prioritize their own well-being. Conversations about heart health need to be as common as any other family discussion, because understanding our family history and risks along with taking proactive steps makes all the difference. Together, we can ensure a healthier future for the women we love in our families and communities.”— Darian Tymes, heart valve failure patient
Know the symptoms and treatment options available.
Heart disease can present differently in women, with symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, or pain in the neck, jaw, or throat.4,5
Learn more and talk to your doctor about solutions for heart disease and high blood pressure (hypertension).
Heart valve failure
(severe aortic stenosis)†
High blood pressure
(hypertension)
Take the pledge.
We’re glad you are taking the pledge to talk to your mother or the women in your life about heart health today. Once you submit the information below, we’ll share conversation starters and a letter template with you to make these potentially lifesaving conversations as easy as possible.