Tailoring cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention for women: One size does not fit all

first paragraph of articleFor many years, cardiovascular disease was considered predominantly a disease of men, despite the fact that more U.S. women than men died annually from cardiovascular illness.1 Because of this misperception of their cardiovascular risk, for many years women were underdiagnosed and undertreated, with consequent increases in cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, and disability. With recent appreciation of this historical gender disparity, clinical and epidemiological research studies have identified cardiovascular features specific to women, resulting in an improved spectrum of care. Although since 1984 more U.S. women than men died annually from cardiovascular disease, beginning in the year 2000 there was a sharp decline in cardiovascular mortality for women, indeed, more precipitous than that for men. Half of this favorable effect is considered due to improved preventive strategies and the remainder to improved management of recognized cardiovascular disease. In 2013, for the first time, more U.S. men than women died of cardiovascular disease and we are delighted to be in second place.