<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1044892275" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{10}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Women experience a high lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease despite often developing events later than men, according to a review of<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">nearly eight</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>decades of Framingham Heart Study findings.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="541211100" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{12}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">The review found that total lifetime cardiovascular disease risk exceeded 55% in women who were free of the condition at middle age. </span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="687937210" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{14}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Although<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">favorable</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>midlife risk-factor profiles reduced this risk, even women with<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">optimal</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>profiles had lifetime risks above 30%, driven in part by heart failure.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1753559353" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{16}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">“During nearly 8 decades of follow-up, FHS has demonstrated that women develop CVD later in life, but experience accelerated midlife accumulation of risk factors and substantial late-life morbidity, particularly from stroke and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">,” wrote the authors, led by<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Michaella Alexandrou, MD</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">, from the<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Minneapolis Heart Institute and Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1536007729" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{18}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">FHS investigations further revealed that blood pressure, diabetes, adiposity, and lipid-related risk occur at lower biological thresholds in women and that ischemic heart disease is frequently different in presentation.”</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1519100092" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{20}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Turning point</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1555551224" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{22}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Published in<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">JACC: Advances</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">, the review describes Framingham as a turning point in the understanding of cardiovascular disease in women.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1181782423" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{24}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">The original study enrolled 5,209 people, including 2,873 women, allowing researchers to follow women’s cardiovascular health across the life course.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="768971654" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{26}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">The review highlighted diabetes as a major driver of cardiovascular risk in women. Framingham data showed that diabetes tripled women’s risk of cardiovascular disease compared with women without diabetes, while men with diabetes had around double the risk of men without diabetes.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="800328633" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{28}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Risk also increased sharply with adiposity. Among women with diabetes, lifetime cardiovascular disease risk was 54.8% in those with normal weight, rising to 78.8% in those with obesity.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="2010672153" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{30}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Blood pressure showed a similar pattern of sex-specific risk. High-normal blood pressure was associated with a 2.5-fold higher 10-year cardiovascular disease risk in women<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">relative</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>to<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">optimal</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>blood pressure, compared with a 1.6-fold increase in men.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="533608873" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{32}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">CVD burden</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="746971726" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{34}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">“Far from being protected or spared, women experience a substantial lifetime burden of CVD, often with later onset but greater sensitivity to cumulative risk exposure and more severe downstream consequences</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">,” wrote the authors.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="984285284" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{36}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Despite these advances, substantial knowledge gaps remain, underscoring the need for continued and expanded investment in CVH research.”</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="1775429437" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{38}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">The authors said reproductive and hormonal history should play a greater role in future cardiovascular risk assessment, including<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">hypertensive disorders of pregnancy</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">, gestational diabetes, preterm delivery, menopause<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">timing</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>and breastfeeding.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="928330693" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{40}"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">They also said the findings should be interpreted cautiously and<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">validated</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>externally, given the limited racial and socioeconomic diversity of Framingham’s historical cohorts.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="301457133" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{42}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Source:</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559740":240}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" paraid="761601830" paraeid="{532952f7-bb6e-491c-ab3c-d64cd438102e}{44}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Alexandrou M, Parikh NI,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW19398564 BCX0">Brilakis</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>ES, et al. Insights<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW19398564 BCX0">Into</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>Cardiovascular Disease in Women<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW19398564 BCX0">From</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>the Framingham Heart Study. JACC Adv. 2026</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0"><span> </span>April 20 (Article in Press).</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW19398564 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW19398564 BCX0" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" paraid="1377235574" paraeid="{236e44b4-3eb3-429c-b001-674612f37701}{249}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW19398564 BCX0">Image Credit: CC2000/peopleimages.com - stock.adobe.com </span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW19398564 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span></strong></p> </div>