Cardiovascular Disease is the #1 killer of women
Cardiovascular disease is disease that affects the heart and blood vessels such as coronary heart disease (the blood vessels that supply the heart), cerebrovascular disease (the blood vessels that supply the brain), peripheral artery disease (the blood vessels that supply the legs and arms), heart failure, and arrhythmias. Cardiovascular disease leads to problems like heart attacks and strokes, which is not very good! Conditions that lead to cardiovascular disease are high blood pressure and high cholesterol - these are the things we can screen for, prevent, and treat! Lifestyle factors that contribute to the development of all of this are lack of exercise, consumption of processed and ultraprocessed foods, smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress. Social determinants of health that contribute are minorities and marginalized populations and your zip code - where you live and the communities you live within matter.
In the last 5 years, there is been much talk in the cardiovascular health space about women and heart disease. That is because there is taboo around women having heart disease, it has been previously concerned a “mans disease”, and it wasn’t until 1993 that women were required to be in clinical trials. So, much of what we know about heart disease (and all disease for that matters) is based on white men. But the American Heart Association has done a great job pushing out articles addressing women’s heart disease, and I am proud to be living in a time where we are giving this it’s due attention.
Publishing articles such as “heart disease risk factors in women highlight need for increased awareness, prevention" and my personal favorite “the feminine face of heart disease” are two of the articles (among many) are some that give a little more insight.
What are some ways that cardiovascular disease is different in women?
Less often screened with blood pressure checks, because women who are otherwise healthy particularly in midlife tend to skip their annual physicals.
Less often screened with lipid panels due to poor insurance coverage.
What are some gender specific risk factors that make women have a unique risk profile?
Reasons related to her period:
early onset menstruation, before age 11
early menopause, before age 45
polycystic ovary syndrome
Reasons related to pregnancy:
having a baby early or preterm birth
having a baby who had low birth weight
having diabetes or high blood pressure while pregnant
experiencing preeclampsia or eclampsia
Prevention and lifestyle are the cornerstones to tackling cardiovascular disease in all people. In fact, 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable. In the next several blog posts I will touch on the new blood pressure guidelines that came out in 2025, what you can do now to prevent cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance.
