A recent study presented at the American College of Cardiologys Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25) suggests that lifestyle and health factors associated with heart disease have a stronger impact on cardiovascular risk in women compared to men. While it is well established that elements such as diet, exercise, smoking, and blood pressure influence heart disease risk, this study is the first to demonstrate that their collective effect is more pronounced in women. Researchers believe these findings highlight the need for sex-specific screening and risk assessment strategies to provide a more accurate evaluation of cardiovascular risk and encourage healthier lifestyle choices.

Dr. Maneesh Sud, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor in the department of medicine at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, emphasized the significance of these findings. According to Dr. Sud, for individuals with the same level of health, the associated increase in cardiovascular risk is higher for women than for men. This insight challenges the conventional “one-size-fits-all” approach to heart disease risk assessment and calls for a more tailored strategy. The study examined eight key factors linked to heart disease: diet, sleep, physical activity, smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood glucose, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. The analysis revealed that women generally had healthier profiles, with fewer negative risk factors and more positive ones compared to men. However, when women did have negative risk factors, they faced a greater increase in their likelihood of experiencing cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes compared to men with similar risk factor profiles.

To conduct the study, researchers analyzed data from over 175,000 Canadian adults who participated in the Ontario Health Study between 2009 and 2017. None of the participants had pre-existing heart disease, and approximately 60% of them were women. Each individual was categorized based on their overall health profile as poor (fewer than five positive factors or more than three negative factors), intermediate (five to seven positive factors), or ideal (optimal levels across all eight factors). Over a median follow-up period of just over 11 years, researchers monitored the occurrence of seven cardiovascular conditions, including heart attack, stroke, unstable angina (chest pain due to restricted blood flow), peripheral arterial disease, heart failure, coronary revascularization (procedures to open blocked arteries), and cardiovascular-related death. The study found that a higher percentage of women had ideal health compared to men, with 9.1% of women achieving a perfect score of 8 out of 8, compared to just 4.8% of men. Additionally, fewer women were classified as having poor health, with 21.9% falling into this category compared to 30.5% of men. Women were also more likely to have ideal levels of diet, blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure, though they were slightly less likely to meet ideal physical activity levels than men.

After adjusting for age, the study found that both men and women with poor or intermediate health had an increased risk of developing heart disease compared to those in ideal health. However, the impact was significantly greater for women. Women classified as having poor health were nearly five times more likely to develop heart disease than those in ideal health, whereas men in the same category had 2.5 times the risk. Similarly, women with intermediate health had 2.3 times the risk of heart disease compared to those with ideal health, while men with intermediate health had 1.6 times the risk. Researchers believe further studies are needed to determine the underlying reasons for these differences, which could stem from biological, hormonal, or sociocultural factors. They also plan to conduct additional analyses to explore whether risk factors impact individuals differently based on race, ethnicity, or menopausal status in women. These findings highlight the importance of developing more personalized strategies for heart disease prevention, particularly for women who may face a disproportionately higher risk due to lifestyle and health factors.

Disclaimer: This Image is taken from Free Press Journal.