Cardiovascular Disease In Women Research Articles

Sex specific considerations in cardiovascular drug therapy.

Despite major advances in cardiac research over the past three decades, cardiovascular disease (CVD) still remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women and men worldwide. However, a major challenge for health care providers is that the current guidelines for cardiovascular drug therapies do not consider the impact of sex in the development of treatment plan for optimizing therapies for women. Clinical research in recent years suggests significant pharmacological and pharmacokinetic differences between females and males which have been attributed in part to differences in body composition, plasma protein binding capacity, drug metabolism and excretion. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review regarding sex- specific differences and drugs commonly used for cardiovascular diseases in women and men. Understanding how sex related differences influence drug efficacy and cardiovascular disease outcomes is crucial for not only optimizing treatment strategies for women and men but to encourage the implementation of specific guidelines that address sex difference as a consideration for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract PO3-27-05: Racioethnic and Ancestral Differences in Risk of Cardiometabolic Conditions and Cardiovascular Disease in Women Treated for Breast Cancer: the Pathways Heart Study

Abstract Background: Despite the established literature of racioethnic disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population, few studies have examined such differences in women after BC treatment, who are at higher risk due to cardiotoxic cancer treatment. Moreover, few prior studies have considered genetic similarity among the participants in the analyses, which can be objectively inferred to delineate the ancestral background of an individual. Methods: The Pathways Heart Study was established to investigate the incidence of cardiometabolic risk factors and CVD events in women with a history of BC at Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC). The main study endpoints for this analysis were cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia) and CVD events, identified by ICD and CPT codes from EHR. Prevalent conditions were identified within 3 years prior to the date of BC diagnosis, and incident conditions were from the date of BC diagnosis to December 31, 2021. Ethnicity was self-reported and classified as non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), Asian, Hispanic, other, or unknown. Global genetic ancestry was estimated to capture the proportion of continental ancestries genetically similar to the reference populations in Africa, Americas, Asia, and Europe from the 1000 Genome Project and Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), which, with the current lack of universally accepted labeling, are herein referred to as African, Native American, Asian, and European ancestry, respectively. Multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression models with all-cause mortality considered as competing risk were used to analyze the associations of race and ethnicity and genetic similarity with prevalent and incident cardiometabolic risk factors and CVD events. Results: Of the 4,071 women with BC in this analysis, 2,713 (66.6%) self-reported as NHW, 305 (7.5%) as NHB, 512 (12.6) as Asian, 447 (11.0%) as Hispanic, and 94 (2.3%) as other or unknown. NHB, Asian, and Hispanic women were more like to have prevalent diabetes than NHW women, the pattern of which persisted after BC diagnosis. Adjusted OR (95% CI) of risk of incident diabetes was 1.74 (1.21-2.49) for NHB, 3.63 (2.59-5.08) for Asian, and 2.19 (1.58-3.04) for Hispanic women, as compared to NHW. Analysis of genetic similarity revealed results consistent with self-reported race and ethnicity (sHR [95% CI] per 25% increment of African ancestry 1.19 [1.07-1.34], Asian ancestry 1.57 [1.44-1.72], and Native American ancestry 1.60 [1.29-2.00]), in comparison to European ancestry. For CVD risk, NHB women were more like to develop any prevalent and incident CVD than NHW women, particularly for ischemic heart disease (incident risk sHR=1.80 [1.10-2.94]). Genetic similarity analyses also showed higher risk of ischemic heart disease associated with African ancestry (incident risk per 25% increment, sHR=1.23 [1.06-1.43]). In contrast, Hispanic women were at lower risk of any incident CVD, serious CVD, arrhythmia, heart failure or cardiomyopathy, and ischemic heart disease. Similarly, lower risk of these CVD conditions was associated with Native American ancestry. Conclusions: Compared with women who self-reported as NHW, those self-reported as NHB, Asian, and Hispanic were at higher risk of diabetes prior to BC diagnosis and the elevated risk persisted after BC diagnosis. Moreover, Black women had higher risk of prevalent and incident CVD, whereas Hispanic women had lower risk of CVD, the latter of which might be related to the admixture of Native American ancestry. To our knowledge, this is the largest multi-ethnic study of disparities in CVD health in women post BC treatment, demonstrating corroborating findings between self-reported race and ethnicity and genetic similarity. The results highlight disparities in cardiometabolic risk factors and CVD among BC survivors that may warrant more research and clinical attentions. Citation Format: Song Yao, Haiyang Sheng, Peter Fiorica, Richard Cheng, Lucas Mendicino, Angela Omilian, Qianqian Zhu, Janise Roh, Cecile Laurant, Valerie Lee, Isaac Ergas, Carlos Iribarren, Jamal Rana, Mai Nguyen-Huynh, Eileen Rillamas-Sun, Dawn Hershman, Christine Ambrosone, Lawrence Kushi, Heather Greenlee, Marilyn Kwan. Racioethnic and Ancestral Differences in Risk of Cardiometabolic Conditions and Cardiovascular Disease in Women Treated for Breast Cancer: the Pathways Heart Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-27-05.

Sex-specific differences in myocardial glucose metabolic rate in non-diabetic, pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetic subjects

BackgroundEvidence has shown that women with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have a higher excess risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) than men with T2DM. Subjects with either T2DM or prediabetes exhibit myocardial insulin resistance, but it is still unsettled whether sex-related differences in myocardial insulin resistance occur in diabetic and prediabetic subjects.MethodsWe aimed to evaluate sex-related differences in myocardial glucose metabolic rate (MRGlu), assessed using dynamic PET with 18F-FDG combined with euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, in subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 20), prediabetes (n = 11), and T2DM (n = 26).ResultsWomen with prediabetes or T2DM exhibited greater relative differences in myocardial MRGlu than men with prediabetes or T2DM when compared with their NGT counterparts. As compared with women with NGT, those with prediabetes exhibited an age-adjusted 35% lower myocardial MRGlu value (P = 0.04) and women with T2DM a 74% lower value (P = 0.006), respectively. Conversely, as compared with men with NGT, men with T2DM exhibited a 40% lower myocardial MRGlu value (P = 0.004), while no significant difference was observed between men with NGT and prediabetes. The statistical test for interaction between sex and glucose tolerance on myocardial MRGlu (P < 0.0001) was significant suggesting a sex-specific association.ConclusionsOur data suggest that deterioration of glucose homeostasis in women is associated with a greater impairment in myocardial glucose metabolism as compared with men. The sex-specific myocardial insulin resistance could be an important factor responsible for the greater effect of T2DM on the excess risk of cardiovascular disease in women than in men.

Association of Handgrip Strength and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among Middle-Aged Postmenopausal Women: An Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2019.

Handgrip strength is an indicator of overall muscle strength and has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Evidence suggests that menopause is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women, and muscle strength decreases progressively after menopause. Despite the prognostic importance of the decline in muscle strength and increased cardiovascular disease risk among postmenopausal women, evidence of their association is limited. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength and cardiovascular disease risk among postmenopausal, middle-aged Korean women. Using pooled cohort equations, we calculated the 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) among postmenopausal women (N = 2019) aged 50-64 years without cardiovascular disease history from the 2014-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Relative grip strength was defined as measured grip strength divided by body mass index. Logistic regression analysis of a complex sampling design was performed to evaluate the association between relative grip strength and a predicted 10-year ASCVD risk ≥7.5%. The average handgrip strength was 24.8 kg, and 5.2% of women were considered for sarcopenia (<18 kg). The quartile-stratified relative grip strength was negatively associated with 10-year ASCVD risk (p < 0.001). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratio for the highest relative grip strength quartile was 0.53 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36-0.78), and that of the group who breastfed for more than 12 months was 1.75 (95% CI: 1.36-2.25) for 10-year ASCVD risk. Increased handgrip strength may be associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk among middle-aged postmenopausal women in Korea. Our findings provide critical evidence regarding the importance of increasing handgrip strength among postmenopausal, middle-aged women to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Handgrip strength measurement might be a valuable screening tool for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Association between habitual betel quid chewing and risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review.

Habitual betel quid chewing, a tobacco product, is a leading cause of oral cancer in Asia-Pacific countries where this practice is most prevalent. However, it is not well understood whether betel quid chewing is also a cause of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed published studies evaluating the association between habitual betel quid use on the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. We searched PubMed for studies assessing the correlation between betel quid chewing and cardiovascular health. We included studies if (i) they included human subjects; (ii) were peer-reviewed articles in indexed journals; and (iii) were in English. We extracted data from eligible studies and stratified them by geographical location, study designs and cardiovascular outcomes. Finally, we did a narrative synthesis of the data to identify adverse cardiovascular outcomes associated with chronic betel quid use. We reviewed data from 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Habitual betel quid chewing was associated with hypertension, atherosclerosis, inflammation and ischaemic heart disease. In addition, betel quid use was a risk factor for arrhythmias. Interestingly, betel quid use was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women. Long-term betel quid consumption was associated with higher risks for all-cause mortality and increased overall cardiovascular risk. Habitual betel quid chewing is an important cardiovascular risk factor in populations where the practice is prevalent.

Global, regional and national temporal trends in prevalence for cardiovascular diseases in women of childbearing age, from 1990 to 2019: An age-period-cohort analysis

BackgroundEpidemiological studies on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among women of childbearing age (WCBA) remain scarce. Our research aims to delineate the prevalence trends of CVD within this population over the past three decades, considering age, period, and birth cohort dynamics. MethodsEstimates of CVD prevalence for WCBA, along with their 95% uncertainty intervals (UI), were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019 (GBD2019). An age-period-cohort (APC) model was utilized to assess the annual percentage change (net drifts) in overall prevalence, annual percentage changes in prevalence for individual age groups (local drifts), and fitted longitudinal age-specific rates adjusted for age effects and period/cohort relative risks (period/cohort effect). ResultsIn 2019, the global prevalence of CVD among WCBA was 53.42 million (95% UI: 47.77 to 60.18). Eight countries recorded a prevalence exceeding one million, accounting for 54.17% of the global CVD prevalence in WCBA. Over the past 30 years, the annual net drift in CVD prevalence among the global WCBA was 0.27% (95% CI: 0.25 to 0.29). This value was 0.01% (95% CI: 0.04 to 0.06) in regions with a high sociodemographic index (SDI) and 0.21% (95% CI: 0.19 to 0.22) in those with a low SDI. Seventy-seven countries demonstrated an increasing trend in CVD prevalence, while 53 showed a decrease, and 74 remained relatively stable. Notably, as shown in local drift, there was a rise in CVD prevalence among adolescents aged 15–19 and adults aged 40–49 in regions categorized by five distinct SDI levels. This drift varied by SDI regions. Regions with a high SDI consistently had elevated period risks throughout the study duration, while other regions had lower period risks until 2000–2004 and displayed increased adverse period risks. The prevalence in low-middle and low SDI regions manifested detrimental trends, whereas other regions demonstrated an initial decline followed by a surge in successive birth cohorts. ConclusionsResources dedicated to CVD care for WCBA are largely insufficient, especially in low SDI regions. Thus, there is an urgent need to allocate cardiovascular healthcare resources variably across different SDI regions, aiming to diminish risks among successively younger birth cohorts. Throughout this endeavor, the formulation of targeted policies and the judicious distribution of resources are essential to reduce risks for women across all age groups.

Abstract 3462: Mendelian randomization analysis of 27 cardiometabolic trait related polygenic scores identifies genetic risk for cardiometabolic and cardiovascular events in a large prospective study of breast cancer survivors

Abstract Background: CVD is the most common cause of non-cancer death in breast cancer patients. Due to cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicities, breast cancer survivors are at increased risk of cardiometabolic disease (CMD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition to treatment-related factors, behavioral risk factors such as diet, smoking, and obesity are shared between CVD and breast cancer. While clinical factors influencing the risk of CVD in breast cancer patients are well studied, the effects of genetic factors are less known. Methods: To investigate genetic factors contributing to risk of CMD and CVD in women with a history of breast cancer, we performed a Mendelian randomization analysis to explore the relationships between 27 polygenic scores (PGS) for CMD and CVD phenotypes selected from the PGS Catalog and literature and 13 incident CMD and CVD events in a large prospective cohort of 3,699 breast cancer survivors in the Pathways Study. Fine-Gray sub-distribution hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associated with one standard deviation of PGS were derived with adjustment for epidemiologic, clinical, and treatment factors. The time scale was defined as time since date of breast cancer diagnosis to first of incident event, health plan disenrollment, death, or end of study (12/31/2019). The proportional hazards assumption was tested using Schoenfeld residuals, and no violation was found. Results: We identified 19 PGS-CMD/CVD associations that met Bonferroni significance (P&amp;lt;1.17 × 10−4). Five PGS were associated with increased risk of dyslipidemia: apolipoprotein B (HR=1.52, 95% CI,1.38-1.65), LDL cholesterol (1.49, 1.36-1.63), total cholesterol (1.43, 1.31-1.56), triglyceride levels (1.24, 1.14-1.34), and coronary artery disease (1.22, 1.13-1.33). Four PGS were associated with increased risk of hypertension: systolic blood pressure (1.36, 1.25-1.48), diastolic blood pressure (1.21, 1.11-1.32), fasting glucose adjusted for BMI (1.19, 1.09-1.30), and hypertension (1.41, 1.29-1.54). PGS for atrial fibrillation was associated with increased risk of arrhythmia (1.40, 1.25-1.57) and any cardiovascular disease (1.22, 1.12-1.32). PGS for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction were both associated with increased risk of ischemic heart disease (1.43, 1.21-1.70 and 1.38, 1.17-1.62, respectively). Conclusion: Our study provides strong evidence for the potential use of PGS to predict the risk of CVD and CMD in women with a history of breast cancer. Future studies may explore the use of PGS to identify women with breast cancer at high risk of CVD-related outcomes and strategies to mitigate this risk. Citation Format: Peter N. Fiorica, Haiyang Sheng, Cecile A. Laurent, Janise M. Roh, Valerie S. Lee, Alexa Zimbalist, Isaac J. Ergas, Qianqian Zhu, Richard K. Cheng, Eileen Rillamas-Sun, Carlos Iribarren, Jamal S. Rana, Mai Nguyen-Huynh, Dawn L. Hershman, Lawrence H. Kushi, Christine B. Ambrosone, Marilyn L. Kwan, Heather Greenlee, Song Yao. Mendelian randomization analysis of 27 cardiometabolic trait related polygenic scores identifies genetic risk for cardiometabolic and cardiovascular events in a large prospective study of breast cancer survivors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3462.

Abstract 65: Association Between Life’s Essential 8 and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Women With a History of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Background: Women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Whether maintaining higher cardiovascular health is associated with a lower risk of CVD in this population is not known. Aims: To evaluate the association between Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) and incident CVD in women with a history of APOs. Methods: We included 2,263 participants with a prior diagnosis of APOs (including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, placental abruption, small for gestational age, or preterm birth) and 107,260 parous participants without a history of APOs from the UK Biobank, all of whom were free of CVD at baseline. LE8 was calculated at baseline (range 0-100). Multivariable-adjusted Cox models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) between LE8 score and incident total and subtypes of CVD. We also examined the interaction between LE8 score and incident CVD among individuals with and without a history of APOs. Results: Over a mean 13.5 years of follow-up, 197 incident CVD events were documented in women with a history of APOs. Compared to women in the bottom tertile of LE8 score (&lt;67), those in the top tertile (&gt;76) had a lower incidence of total CVD, HR (95% CI) of 0.43 (0.29, 0.65), CHD [0.31 (0.17, 0.56)] and AF [0.46 (0.23, 0.91)]. We observed a significant interaction between history of APOs, LE8 score, and incident CVD ( Table 1 ). Women with a history of APO who maintained high LE8 score were at similar risk as those without APO with a high LE8 score, 0.95 (0.63-1.43), whereas there was an excess risk observed for those with an intermediate (HR with vs. without APO: 1.73 vs 1.25) and low LE8 scores (HR with vs. without APO: 2.48 vs 1.81). Conclusion: Among women with a history of APOs, better cardiovascular health as assessed using the LE8 score was associated with a significantly lower incidence of incident CVD. Additionally, women with a history of APOs who maintained high LE8 scores had similar risk of CVD as women without a history of APOs.

Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality in women, necessitating innovative primary prevention strategies. Contemporary guidelines on primary prevention of CVD highlight the increasing prevalence of CVD risk factors and emphasize the significance of female-specific risk enhancers that substantially augment the future risk of CVD. These risk factors occur throughout a woman's life cycle, such as hormonal contraception, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and menopause, all of which confer an added layer of risk in women beyond the conventional risk factors. Despite this, current methods may not fully capture the nuanced vulnerabilities in women that increase their risk of CVD. In this review, we highlight gender-specific risk enhancers and subsequent prevention as well as strategies to improve primary prevention of CVD in women.

The heart-mind relationship in women cardiovascular primary prevention: the role of depression, anxiety, distress and Type-D personality in the 10-years cardiovascular risk evaluation.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among women. Prevention programmes underscore the need to address women-specific risk factors. Additionally, mental well-being is a significant aspect to consider when grappling with cardiovascular disease in women, particularly depression, anxiety, distress, and personality traits. This study aimed to create "at-risk" psychological profiles for women without prior cardiovascular disease history and to evaluate the association between anxiety, depression, distress, and Type-D personality traits with increased cardiovascular risk over 10 years. 219 women voluntarily participated in the "Monzino Women's Heart Centre" project for primary prevention and early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Psychological profiles were developed utilising cluster analysis. The primary finding indicating that belonging to the "at-risk" psychological cluster was associated with a surge in the 10-year cardiovascular risk prediction score, despite the number of comorbid risk factors (Psychological "at-risk" cluster: β = .0674; p = .006; Risk factors: β = .0199; p = .242). This finding suggests that psychological well-being of women should be assessed from the very beginning of cardiovascular prevention programmes.

Association of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Women.

The objective of this study was to estimate the association of depressive and anxiety symptoms with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged and older Chinese women and to further evaluate whether the association was influenced by sociodemographic factors. This cross-sectional study included 9544 women aged 40 to 70 years from the eastern, central, and western regions of China in 2018. Logistic regression models were utilized to examine odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for depressive and anxiety symptoms with CVD risk. Depressive (OR = 1.89) and anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.55) were independently associated with an increased risk of CVD after adjusting for potential confounders. Stratified analyses found that depressive symptoms were only significantly associated with higher risk of CVD in women aged over 50 years and with lower levels of education and household income, whereas anxiety symptoms were only significantly associated with an elevated risk of CVD in women aged 60 to 70 years, and living in rural areas, and with lower levels of education and household income. Our findings emphasize the improvement of recognizing and managing depressive and anxiety symptoms to reduce the risk of CVD in middle-aged and older women, particularly in older women of low socioeconomic status.

Proposal to improve the patient journey for women's cardiovascular prevention

The relevance of gender medicine in cardiovascular prevention is still underestimated, and there is a lack of viable women-specific preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies. To ensure women have equal access to cardiovascular prevention, cardiovascular disease risk stratification needs to consider gender-specific factors related to women reproductive cycle phases together with the different impact that traditional risk factors have on men and women. The aim of this document is to improve the patient journey for cardiovascular risk prevention in women, enhancing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and the role of the various professional figures involved, starting with the general practitioner, as the main actor of the first risk stratification. The goal of the proposed patient journey is to ensure effective risk assessment of cardiovascular disease in women, by raising attention on the risk factors related to different hormonal phases and to bridge the sex and gender gap in cardiovascular prevention. We hope that this journey can be implemented as uniformly as possible in clinical practice throughout Italy.

Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Women With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes Following a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy.

The extent to which a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is associated with incident cardiovascular disease also among women with diabetes is unknown. In this nationwide register-based cohort study, parous women aged 18 to 69 years with a first delivery in the Swedish Medical Birth Register, regardless of diabetic status at that time, and a subsequent clinical visit in the Swedish National Diabetes Register were included. Time to first cardiovascular disease event (myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure) before age 70 years by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy history was separately analyzed by diabetes type using Cox regression models that included conventional risk factors. In total, 1748 (18.9%) of 9230 women with type 1 and 5904 (10.6%) of 55 773 women with type 2 diabetes had their first delivery complicated by a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Median time (25-75th percentile) between first delivery and start of follow-up was 3.3 (1.4-13.0) years for women with type 1 and 29.8 (22.4-35.6) years for women with type 2 diabetes. In modeling, the risk for any cardiovascular disease event among women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was generally 10% to 20% higher, with main models estimating hazard ratios to 1.20 (95% CI, 0.99-1.47) for women with type 1 and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.02-1.29) for women with type 2 diabetes. In women with diabetes, a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease and should be considered as a risk enhancer.

Multidisciplinary management of cardiovascular disease in women: Delphi consensus.

Current clinical guidelines on cardiovascular disease (CVD) do not specifically address the female population. The aim of this consensus is to know the opinion of a group of experts on the management of CVD in women. Through a Delphi consensus, 31 experts in cardiology, 9 in gynecology and obstetrics, and 14 primary care physicians, showed their degree of agreement on 44 items on CVD in women divided into the following groups: (1) risk factors and prevention strategies; (2) diagnosis and clinical manifestations; and (3) treatment and follow-up. After two rounds, consensus in agreement was reached on 27 items (61.4%). Most of the non-consensus items (31.8%) belonged to group 3. The lack of consensus in this group was mainly among gynecologists and primary care physicians. The panelists agreed on periodic blood pressure control during pregnancy and delivery to detect hypertensive disorders, especially in women with a history of preeclampsia and/or gestational hypertension, and diabetes mellitus control in those with gestational diabetes. Also, the panelists agreed that women receive statins at a lower intensity than men, although there was no consensus as to whether the efficacy of drug treatments differs between women and men. The high degree of consensus shows that the panelists are aware of the differences that exist between men and women in the management of CVD and the need to propose interventions to reduce this inequality. The low level of consensus reveals the lack of knowledge, and the need for information and training on this topic.

Biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease in women with spontaneous preterm birth: A case-control study.

Women with spontaneous preterm birth have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Studies suggest potential pathophysiological mechanisms in common, but whether these could be identified by measurement of soluble circulating protein biomarkers in women with spontaneous preterm birth is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if protein biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease distinguish women with spontaneous preterm birth from healthy controls, both at pregnancy and at follow up. Study participants were identified in the population-based Uppsala biobank of pregnant women in Sweden, where plasma samples were collected in mid-pregnancy. In a first screening phase, we identified participants who subsequently experienced spontaneous preterm birth (<37 weeks) in the index pregnancy (N = 13) and controls (N = 6). In these samples, differences in protein expression were examined by comparative mass spectrometry. In a second validation phase, we invited 100 cases with previous spontaneous preterm birth in the index pregnancy and 100 controls (matched for age, body mass index, and year of delivery) from the same source population, to a follow-up visit 4-15 years after pregnancy. At follow up, we collected plasma samples and data on cardiovascular risk factors. We measured concentrations of selected biomarkers identified in the screening phase, as well as lipid profiles in samples both from pregnancy (biobank) and follow up. gov registration NCT05693285. In the screening phase, fibrinogen, cadherin-5, complement C5, factor XII, plasma kallikrein, apolipoprotein M, and vitamin D-binding protein differed significantly at pregnancy. In the validation phase, 65 women agreed to participate (35 cases and 30 controls), with a median follow-up time of 11.8 years since pregnancy. The concentration of fibrinogen (p = 0.02) and triglycerides (p = 0.03) were slightly higher in cases compared with matched controls at follow up. Compared with women without preterm birth, those with spontaneous preterm birth had slightly higher concentrations of fibrinogen, both at mid-pregnancy and a decade after pregnancy. Additionally, we found slightly higher concentration of triglycerides at follow up in women with previous spontaneous preterm birth. The relevance of this finding is uncertain but might indicate potential pathophysiological mechanisms in common between spontaneous preterm birth and cardiovascular disease.

Lifetime Duration of Breastfeeding and Cardiovascular Risk in Women With Type 2 Diabetes or a History of Gestational Diabetes: Findings From Two Large Prospective Cohorts.

Breastfeeding duration is inversely associated with risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes in parous women. However, the association among women at high risk, including women with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is unclear. We included 15,146 parous women with type 2 diabetes from the Nurses' Health Study I and II (NHS, NHS II) and 4,537 women with a history of GDM from NHS II. Participants reported history of breastfeeding via follow-up questionnaires. Incident CVD by 2017 comprised stroke or coronary heart disease (CHD) (myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization). Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox models. We documented 1,159 incident CVD cases among women with type 2 diabetes in both cohorts during 188,874 person-years of follow-up and 132 incident CVD cases among women with a GDM history during 100,218 person-years of follow-up. Longer lifetime duration of breastfeeding was significantly associated with lower CVD risk among women with type 2 diabetes, with pooled aHR of 0.68 (95% CI 0.54-0.85) for >18 months versus 0 months and 0.94 (0.91-0.98) per 6-month increment in breastfeeding. Similar associations were observed with CHD (pooled aHR 0.93 [0.88-0.97]) but not with stroke (0.96 [0.91-1.02]) per 6-month increment in breastfeeding. Among women with GDM history, >18 months versus 0 months of breastfeeding was associated with an aHR of 0.49 (0.28-0.86) for total CVD. Longer duration of breastfeeding was associated with lower risk of CVD in women with type 2 diabetes or GDM.

Risk and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease Associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

We aimed to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and estimate the global incidence of PCOS-associated CVD. We conducted a meta-analysis across five databases to evaluate the risk of CVD among women with PCOS. Global incidence of PCOS-associated CVD was calculated by a population attributable fraction (PAF) modelling using the pooled RR, PCOS prevalence, CVD incidence number and age-standardized rate (ASIR), from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019. An estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to assess the temporal trend of PCOS-associated CVD. The risk of CVD was significantly increased in the women with PCOS for all-age group (pooled RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.36-1.69), and 10- to 54-year-old (1.37, 1.17-1.59). Globally, from 1990 to 2019, the PCOS associated CVD cases in women across all-age group has rised from 102 530 to 235 560. The most affected regions were East Asia & Pacific (108 430, 66 090-166 150) in 2019. The South Asia has the highest increase trend of PCOS-associated CVD ASIRs (EAPC 2.61%, 2.49-2.73). The annual increase ASIR in PCOS-CVD incidence for the 10-54 age group (EAPC 0.49%; 0.41-0.56) is faster than that of the all-age group (0.34; 0.27-0.42). The middle- or low-middle sociodemographic index countries, experienced higher increase trend of CVD due to PCOS in the past thirty years. Women with PCOS have a significantly increased risk of CVD. Efficient measures to enhance its prevention and treatment are important for regions with high PCOS-associated CVD burden, especially premature CVD in women under 55 years.

Hypertension Related Co-Morbidities and Complications in Women of Sub-Saharan Africa: A Brief Review.

Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease in women, and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries have some of the highest rates of hypertension in the world. Expanding knowledge of causes, management, and awareness of hypertension and its co-morbidities worldwide is an effective strategy to mitigate its harms, decrease morbidities and mortality, and improve individual quality of life. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) are a particularly important subset of hypertension, as pregnancy is a major stress test of the cardiovascular system and can be the first instance in which cardiovascular disease is clinically apparent. In SSA, women experience a higher incidence of HDP compared with other African regions. However, the region has yet to adopt treatment and preventative strategies for HDP. This delay stems from insufficient awareness, lack of clinical screening for hypertension, and lack of prevention programs. In this brief literature review, we will address the long-term consequences of hypertension and HDP in women. We evaluate the effects of uncontrolled hypertension in SSA by including research on heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, and HDP. Limitations exist in the number of studies from SSA; therefore, we will use data from countries across the globe, comparing and contrasting approaches in similar and dissimilar populations. Our review highlights an urgent need to prioritize public health, clinical, and bench research to discover cost-effective preventative and treatment strategies that will improve the lives of women living with hypertension in SSA.

Associations of Osteoarthritis with Prevalence and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease over 10 Years in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Sydney Memory and Ageing Study

Introduction: The data are limited for the association between osteoarthritis (OA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in community-based older populations and whether there is sex difference. This study aimed to examine the relationship between OA and prevalence and incidence of CVD over 10 years in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Data on self-reported OA, high cholesterol, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes were collected from 1,025 community-dwelling participants aged 70–90 years in the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. The presence of CVD at baseline was defined as self-reported presence of stroke, heart attack, transient ischaemic attack, angina, aortic aneurysm, or claudication. The incidence of CVD was defined by a combination of incident self-reported CVD or CVD mortality at different follow-up timepoints over 10 years. Results: At baseline, 395 (38.5%) participants self-reported OA (252 [44.6%] women, 143 [31.1%] men). Self-reported OA was associated with increased prevalence of CVD in women (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.12–2.47) but not men (1.26, 0.80–1.98). In the total population, self-reported OA at baseline was associated with increased incidence of CVD at 4 years (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.10–2.83), 6 years (1.59, 1.03–2.46), 8 years (1.56, 1.02–2.38), and 10 years (1.66, 1.10–2.50), but not at 2 years (1.43, 0.79–2.57). Significant associations were observed in female participants at 4, 8, and 10 years, with no significant associations seen in male participants. Conclusion: OA was associated with increased prevalence at baseline and incidence of CVD over 10 years in community-based older adults, especially women. Identifying those with OA to target their cardiovascular risk factors while managing their OA has the potential to reduce the burden of CVD in older people, particularly women.

Cardiovascular Disease in Women With Breast Cancer: A Contemporary Review

Cardiovascular Disease in Women With Breast Cancer: A Contemporary Review