[A targeted approach to cardiovascular risk in women: towards improved screening and prevention]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Women's Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in women differ significantly from men.
• Standard CVD risk scores often fail to incorporate women-specific influences.
• Hormonal status, obstetric history, and certain chronic conditions impact female cardiovascular risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and highlight women-specific factors influencing cardiovascular risk.
• To emphasize the inadequacy of current risk assessment tools for women.
• To advocate for tailored prevention strategies and improved health information for women.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies focusing on sex-specific cardiovascular risk factors.
• Analysis of how hormonal status, obstetric complications, and chronic inflammatory diseases affect arterial and venous risk.
• Evaluation of existing cardiovascular risk stratification tools for their applicability to women.

Main Results:

• Identified unique cardiovascular risk factors in women, including hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy complications (e.g., preeclampsia), endometriosis, and migraines.
• Demonstrated that these factors influence both arterial and venous thromboembolic events.
• Confirmed that standard cardiovascular risk calculators do not adequately address these sex-specific risks.

Conclusions:

• Women's cardiovascular risk assessment requires integration of specific factors beyond traditional risk models.
• Personalized prevention strategies and improved lifelong health education are essential for mitigating cardiovascular risk in women.
• Development of novel risk stratification tools tailored to female physiology is urgently needed.