Nanette K Wenger
Emory University School of Medicine, USA
Title: Transforming CVD prevention for women: Time for the Pygmalion construct to end
Biography
Biography: Nanette K Wenger
Abstract
Gender-specific atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk assessment for women is requisite owing to a number of non-traditional ASCVD risk factors that are unique to or predominant in women and because many traditional ASCVD risk factors impart differential risk for women and for men. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for women in the US and 2 of 3 US women have at least one major traditional coronary risk factor.
Non-traditional ASCVD risk factors requiring assessment for all women include a history of complications of pregnancy, use of oral contraceptive therapy, therapy hormonal fertility, and menopausal hormone therapy. Systemic autoimmune disorders are highly prevalent in women and impart increased ASCVD risk.
Hypertension increases the population-adjusted CVD mortality more for women than for men, and cigeratte smoking imparts a greater CVD risk for women than men, as does diabetes mellitus. Hypercholesterolemia imparts the highest population-adjusted CVD risk for women, 47%. Two of three US women are obese or overweight, and obesity is double in women compared with men in low and middle0income nations. Physical inactivity is the most prevalent risk factor of US women. Psychosocial issues, particularly depression, preferentially disadvantage women.
Gender-specific risk assessment and intervention have the potential to improve CVD outcomes in women.