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Prevention of Heart Failure in Women: An Expert Consensus Statement on Sex-Specific Risk Factors
Amina Rakisheva1,2, Giandomenico Disabato3, Ana Abreu4,5
1Qonaev City Hospital, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan.
European Journal of Heart Failure
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Cardiovascular disease in women requires tailored prevention and management strategies, addressing unique risk factors related to pregnancy, gynecological conditions, and cancer treatments. This expert consensus provides a life-course roadmap for improving heart failure care in women.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Women's Health
- Reproductive Endocrinology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, yet conventional models often overlook sex-specific risk factors.
- Heart failure (HF) in women can be influenced by unique hormonal and pathological factors requiring specialized attention for effective prevention and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive life-course roadmap for preventing and managing HF in women.
- To address HF risk associated with specific female conditions, including pregnancy, gynecological issues, and cancer therapies.
Main Methods:
- Expert consensus statement synthesizing current knowledge.
- Focus on specific life-course stages and conditions affecting women: pregnancy, gynecological conditions (PCOS, endometriosis, menopause), and cardio-oncology.
- Emphasis on sex-specific pathologies, risk factors, and tailored management strategies.
Main Results:
- Detailed guidance on managing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and preventing/treating Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
- Strategies for addressing HF risk in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and menopause, highlighting inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT).
- Recommendations for mitigating Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction (CTRCD) in breast and gynecological cancers, including early detection and cardioprotective treatments.
Conclusions:
- Effective HF prevention and management in women necessitate integrating sex-specific factors across the life course.
- Addressing conditions like hypertensive pregnancy disorders, PCOS, and cardiotoxicity from cancer treatments is crucial.
- Lifestyle interventions and targeted pharmacological strategies are key to improving cardiac health outcomes in women.
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