Women and heart disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women. Analyses suggest clinically relevant differences between women and men in terms of prevalence, presentation, management and outcomes of the disease, but little is known about why these differences exist. In a supplement to the Mar. 13 issue of CMAJ (available online at www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/176/6/S1), Dr. Louise Pilote and coauthors from across Canada offer a comprehensive review of sex-specific issues related to cardiovascular disease. Eight broad topics are addressed, including the burden of cardiovascular disease in men and women, and cardiovascular risk factors in girls and boys. An in-depth review of the scientific literature is provided on each topic, along with a summary of current knowledge about the topic and questions that have yet to be answered. For instance, why are young women with acute coronary syndrome at greater risk of death than young men are with acute coronary syndrome, and why are the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease decreasing among men but stable among women?