Key Points
- Identify and evaluate sex- and gender-specific risk factors associated with coronary artery disease in women.
- Clinical review examining epidemiological and clinical evidence regarding coronary artery disease risk profiles in female populations.
- Analysis of specific interactions involving postmenopausal status, diabetes, oral contraceptives, smoking, and metabolic markers.
- Postmenopausal status and diabetes confer distinct and magnified risk profiles for coronary artery disease in women.
- The combination of cigarette smoking and oral contraceptive use accelerates thrombogenesis, compounding overall vascular hazard.
- Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, central fat distribution (elevated waist-hip ratio), and psychosocial stressors present unique clinical manifestations in women that require aggressive, tailored intervention.
Structured PICO
PPopulationWomen at risk of coronary artery disease
Highlights the importance of identifying and aggressively intervening on gender-specific risk factors for coronary artery disease in women.