Immanuel Klinikum Bernau receives award for women's heart medicine!

Immanuel Klinikum Bernau receives award for women's heart medicine!

A special award for women's health care: On July 3, 2025, the university outpatient clinic of the Immanuel Klinikum Bernau Heart Center Brandenburg received the special award for gender-specific care as part of the KONKRET Prize, which is awarded by the Lilly Germany Foundation. The prize, which is endowed with 5,000 euros, highlights the project “University outpatient clinic for gender-specific medicine with special women's consultations” under the direction of Dr. med. Viyan Sido comes out. The aim of the project is to address the specific symptoms, risk factors and needs of women in the area of ​​cardiovascular diseases, as reported by barnim-aktuell.de.

The special cardiac consultation offers tailor-made care and focuses on promoting scientific questions. Prof. Dr. med. Johannes Albes, head of cardiac and vascular surgery, emphasizes the urgency of gender-equitable medical care and highlights the existing differences in the treatment of women. Dr. Isabella Erb-Herrmann from the Lilly Germany Foundation underlines the relevance of gender-sensitive healthcare and cites the prize as an incentive to close gaps in the healthcare system.

Growing knowledge of gender differences

While cardiovascular disease is the world's leading cause of death in both sexes, there are significant differences in the way it manifests itself in men and women. A recent publication in the DGK describes that gender-specific differences in the prevalence, pathophysiology and symptoms of heart disease are largely unknown. Women are often underrepresented in clinical trials, resulting in current guidelines not adequately accounting for these differences.

Surprisingly, it turns out that acute coronary syndromes mainly affect men, while women aged 75 and over are in the majority. In addition, the number of young women suffering from acute coronary syndromes is increasing. Stress plays a crucial role here and has been identified as an important risk factor for myocardial infarction in women, as the VIRGO study shows. Doctors also need to be aware that diabetes promotes coronary heart disease in women more than in men, and that gender-specific testing is recommended to improve diagnoses.

The need for gender-sensitive approaches

A better understanding of gender differences in cardiology can not only refine therapies but also increase their safety. Focusing on personalized treatment based on gender-specific needs is essential. Findings of the Medical Journal show that clinics often have difficulty making the correct diagnoses when treating women with stable angina pectoris, particularly in those under 60 years of age. This makes it all the more important to use imaging procedures such as SPECT and MRI more frequently to improve the quality of care.

The challenges don't end with the diagnosis: women are often affected by complications when they undergo invasive therapies, partly due to their smaller blood vessels. Additionally, studies show that women with heart failure receive less treatment and have higher mortality rates than men when using heart medications. This once again illustrates how important it is to establish gender-sensitive approaches in cardiac medicine.

In conclusion, it can be said that the recognition and promotion of gender-equitable care approaches, such as those implemented at the Immanuel Klinikum Bernau, are more important today than ever. They not only open up new perspectives for medical care, but also make a significant contribution to improving the health and quality of life of women in the area of ​​cardiovascular diseases.