Sexual Dimorphism in the Development of Cardiometabolic Syndrome

Anatomical and physiological differences between sexes explain the sexual dimorphism in the development of diseases, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a condition that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancer types. Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality in both sexes worldwide. However, CVD mortality is higher in men than women, demonstrating that the differences between women and men might have an essential role in the development of CVD.The CV system shows dimorphic variations, starting at early developmental stages. However, most studies on the CV system have been conducted predominantly in males. Understanding the differences in the CVD associated with sex is vital to improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these diseases. In this chapter, we highlight the differences found in the literature between sexes in physiological and pathological events within the cardiovascular system related to metabolic syndrome (MetS).