Overcoming Women’s Lifelong Hormonal Rollercoaster: A Turning Point for Cardiovascular Prevention

Although cardiovascular diseases (CVD), especially coronary artery disease and stroke, are the leading cause of death and disability in Brazil, both in women and men, ^, addressing cardiovascular (CV) prevention implies a comprehensive approach to the inherent differences related to sex. In this sense, understanding, for instance, the role of hypertension, a major risk factor for coronary artery disease and stroke in Brazilian women, in the context of this population’s specificities is key.

Hypertensive disorders, including pregnancy-induced hypertension (occurring in 6-7% of pregnancies) and preeclampsia/eclampsia (occurring in up to 10% of pregnancies), are important CV risk factors ^, that should be accounted for when assessing women’s CV risk.

[…]