In a study from McMaster University, scientists found women and men share most of the same risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).
The team tested 156,000 people without a history of CVD between the ages of 35 and 70. Living in 21 low, middle and high-income countries on five continents, they were followed for an average of 10 years.
They examined risk factors, including metabolic (such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes), behavioral (smoking and diet), and psychosocial (economic status and depression)
Overall, women had a lower risk of developing CVD than men, especially at younger ages. However, the diet was more strongly associated with CVD risk in women than men.
The team says women and men have similar CVD risk factors, which emphasizes the importance of a similar strategy for the prevention of CVD in men and women.
High levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol and symptoms of depression were more strongly associated with CVD risk in men than in women.
The patterns of these findings were generally similar in high-income countries and upper-middle-income countries, and in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about mental illnesses tied to higher risk for heart attack and stroke, and she retired from playing football at 41, had heart attack at 43.
For more information about stroke, please see recent studies about blood fat that may increase the risk of second stroke, and results showing salt substitutes could effectively prevent stroke.
The study was conducted by Marjan Walli-Attaei et al and published in The Lancet.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
