Why heart disease in women may be missed on scans
statnews.com • • health
Key Points:
- A new study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging found that women have lower overall coronary plaque volumes than men, but their plaque burden is higher relative to their smaller artery size, leading to earlier and steeper increases in heart attack risk.
- The observational study analyzed coronary CT angiography scans from over 4,200 adults with stable chest pain, revealing that women's heart risk rises at a lower plaque burden threshold (20%) compared to men (28%), despite women having less plaque overall.
- Non-obstructive coronary artery disease, more common in women, remains a serious condition affecting heart function, and current clinical focus on obstructive plaque may overlook significant risks in women.
- Experts emphasize the need for sex-specific cardiovascular risk assessments and treatments,
