The first global report on cardiovascular diseases in women was published in The Lancet. The document was created as a result of the work of a commission consisting of 17 women – experts in the field of cardiovascular diseases from different parts of the world, including Dr hab. Agnieszka Olszanecka from the First Clinic of Cardiology, Interventional Electrocardiology and Arterial Hypertension at the Jagiellonian University Medical College.

“Each year, as many as 35 percent of women in the world die of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This is the main cause of death in this group. The mortality is on the rise especially among young women. Despite these alarming data, the problem still has not been sufficiently studied and explored. Women are not sufficiently diagnosed and treated; they are also underrepresented in clinical research,” says Dr hab. Agnieszka Olszanecka.

The recently published report presents the current data related to the issue of cardiovascular diseases in women. It also calls for an urgent action aimed to improve the quality of medical care and prevention, fill the gaps in knowledge and increase awareness in this field. The document also includes 10 recommendations on addressing the problem of inequality in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in order to combat cardiovascular diseases affecting women.

The key to reducing women’s mortality resulting from cardiovascular diseases is educating heath care staff and patients in the field of early detection and prevention of heart diseases as well as prioritising sex-specific research on heart disease in women and intervention strategies for women.

In 2019 there were as many as 275 million women suffering from cardiovascular diseases in the world and the global incidence was estimated to be 6,402 per 100 thousand. The main causes of death from CVD were coronary heart disease (47 percent) and stroke (36 percent). The main risk factor in this area was arterial hypertension, followed by high body mass index and high LDL cholesterol levels. There are also sex-specific risk factors, such as premature menopause and pregnancy-related disorders. Yet, their role in cardiovascular problems has not been sufficiently explored.

The authors of the report stressed that there are many CVD risk factors that have not been sufficiently studied, such as the social factors (e.g. unemployment) contributing to anxiety and depression and differences resulting from socioeconomic and cultural status, race, and poverty. The recommendations include greater focus on mental health in clinical practice and implementing policies aimed at supporting underprivileged social groups in both developed and developing countries. It is also important to work out prediction models of CVD in women that would take into account sex-specific risk factors.

“The efforts of the commission set up by <em>The Lancet</em> should serve as a starting point to implement these changes and mobilise health care staff, policymakers, and women themselves to work towards a healthier future,” concludes Dr hab. Agnieszka Olszanecka.    

The article is available at thelan­­­­­­­­­­­cet.com, whereas the full report can be found on The Lancet Women and Cardiovascular Disease Commission website.