Cedars-Sinai experts review the past decade of research on women's heart health

A new collection of scientific articles published today shines a light on the differences between men and women when it comes to heart health.

Experts from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai led the project, which resulted in an anthology of 14 scientific articles that review the past decade of research on women's cardiovascular health. The collection of articles-;called a compendium in medical circles-;was published by Circulation Research, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association and its Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences.

The articles were written by thought leaders across cardiac subspecialties and summarize current knowledge regarding differences between the sexes in cardiovascular risks and outcomes. The articles also identify critical scientific gaps and future research priorities.

The timing is right for this review and call to action-;not only because of where the science is now, but because COVID-19 has starkly reminded us that sex differences can profoundly impact health outcomes. One important point the compendium highlights is how females and males differ in many aspects of fundamental biology."

Susan Cheng, MD, MPH, MMSc, the Erika J. Glazer Chair in Women's Cardiovascular Health and Population Science, professor of Cardiology, and senior editor of the compendium

The structure of two of the heart's four major valves-;the tricuspid and mitral valves-;is different in women than in men, as are the heart's electrical pathways, anatomy of arteries and veins, and even the cellular composition of male and female hearts, the experts say.

"This sets the stage for important differences in risk factors, including elevated blood pressure, symptoms such as chest pain, and outcomes like heart failure," said Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, director of Hypertension Research in the Smidt Heart Institute's Department of Cardiology and co-editor of the collection of articles. "But despite what the research findings make clear, sex-specific indicators of heart disease risk are rarely taken into account."

Featured research also covers sex-specific differences in:

· Genetic origins of certain cardiovascular traits

· Symptoms of various types of heart failure, heart disease, stroke and arterial disease

· Risks to heart health caused by cancer and cancer treatment

· Effectiveness of cardiovascular treatments

· Impact of immune disorders on heart health

· Pregnancy and reproductive risk factors for cardiovascular disease

· Biomarkers for cardiovascular disease