Sex-Specific Risk Factors and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Prevention of CVD is often hampered by the lack awareness of risk factors unique to being female, that often go unrecognized. Sex-specific factors such as adverse pregnancy outcomes, early menarche, early menopause, breast cancer treatment, and gynecological conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis are associated with an increased risk of CVD.

While women typically display CVD later than men, those with sex-specific risk factors often display an accelerated risk progression. For example, having experienced an adverse pregnancy outcome such as gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, or preterm delivery doubles the risk of having a CV event within 10 years after giving birth. This special issue seeks to gather clinical insights related to primary and secondary prevention, or novel diagnostic and treatment strategies to address CVD risk in those with sex-specific risk factors.

Authors are invited to submit original research articles, reviews, case studies, and perspectives that explore topics related to cardiovascular health outcomes in women, including but not limited to:


• screening for CVD risk factors in the years following adverse pregnancy outcomes

• risk-reducing lifestyle behaviours and CVD risk

• lifestyle or pharmacologic interventions and CVD risk

• novel diagnostic strategies

• pre-clinical risk indicators

• risk assessment

• perceptions and/or lived experiences

• sociocultural considerations in prevalence of CVD risk and/or response to treatment

• pre-habilitation /cardiac rehabilitation design and implementation considerations for women