Cardiovascular risk up to five times higher in women

The belief that heart attacks are primarily a male problem persists. But new data impressively refutes this misconception. Classic risk factors such as unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and high blood pressure have a greater impact on cardiovascular risk in women than in men.

Nina Ruge , biologist and TV expert, looks back on over 30 years of media experience. She is a bestselling author and podcaster in the field of cell biology of aging, and is committed to "Healthy Longevity." She is part of our EXPERTS Circle . The content represents her personal perspective based on her individual expertise.

Researchers at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto analyzed the health data of more than 175,000 healthy adults. They examined eight lifestyle factors that have been shown to be linked to cardiovascular disease: diet, exercise, sleep, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and smoking habits.

The surprising result: Although women lead healthier lives on average—they smoke less often, have better blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and often eat more healthily than men—their risk increases significantly more with an unhealthy lifestyle. Specifically, this means that women with an unfavorable health profile have an almost fivefold increased risk of cardiovascular disease. For men, the risk is only 2.5 times higher.

Even with a moderately healthy lifestyle, the risk was higher for women. For the researchers, it's clear: The analysis of cardiovascular risks must be gender-specific. The differences are not only social but also biologically determined—for example, through the influence of female hormones or different inflammatory responses.

This article is from the EXPERTS Circle – a network of select experts with in-depth knowledge and many years of experience. The content is based on individual assessments and is aligned with the current state of science and practice.