Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: A Lifecourse Approach

Over the last two decades, research initiatives promoting cardiovascular health have revealed significant disparities in cardiovascular health and disease between men and women as well as among women of different races and ethnicities. Novel and emergent risk factors have been identified, and the impact of the social, economic, and cultural milieu been increasingly recognized as playing significant roles in the diagnosis, prevention, and access to treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Disease prevalence, onset, and presentation are influenced by sex, age, race, ethnicity, and environmental factors—calling for a more holistic approach towards understanding the underlying pathologic mechanisms and maintaining optimal health across the life course. This book brings together leading scientific perspectives to illuminate these complex influences and to highlight advances that are reshaping how cardiovascular conditions are understood and addressed. Written for clinicians, researchers, and students seeking a deeper, more integrated view of cardiovascular health.