Prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in women – traditional and novel risk factors: sex differences

Cardiovascular diseases are the killer nr 1 among women in all ages all around the world. A preventive strategy should be concerned on sex specific differences in traditional and novel risk factors and based upon an understanding of patophysiological differences.

The newest data from registries and clinical trials on traditional and novel risk factors as well as prevention aims according to the guidelines of the American Heart Association were introduced.

A systematic review of new information from Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation Study sponsored by NHLBI, supporting the concept of multifactorial model in which sex hormones interact with traditional and novel risk factors, especially inflammation markers, worsening the prognosis, was performed. The influence of menopause on cardiovascular diseases in women was detailed. The compilation of traditional risk factors underestimates the risk of CVD in women.The role of inflammation indices and asymptomatic atherosclerosis markers in the stratification of the risk in women was discussed.