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Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease in Women- Sex Differences in Disease Incidence and Prevalence. Population Representation, Diversity, Disparities

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Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Women

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States and most other developed countries. While the magnitude of disease risk varies among individuals based on demographic as well as biopsychosocial factors, the entire U.S. population is vulnerable to CVD. Cardiovascular disease is associated with significant health and economic burden with estimated direct and indirect cost of $312.6 billion [1]. There are more women than men who die each year of CVD. In 2009, CVD claimed the lives of 401,495 (51.0 %) women and 386,436 (49.0 %) men [1]. Despite increases in awareness over the past decade, only 54 % of women recognize that heart disease is their number 1 killer [2]. The lifetime risk of a woman developing CVD by age 50 is estimated to be 39 % [3]. Although the number of men and women who die from CVD has decreased over the past several decades, this decline is less remarkable for women as shown in Fig. 1.1. Advances in medical treatment, application of evidence-based therapies for established CVD and the modification of coronary risk factors are major contributors to this decline in mortality. Nonetheless, since 1984, more women die from CVD annually than men; coronary deaths in women exceed deaths in women from all forms of cancer combined [4].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heart Research Follow up Program, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA

    Saadia Sherazi MD, MS

  2. Department of Clinical Sciences, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Susan G. Fisher MS, PhD

Authors
  1. Saadia Sherazi MD, MS
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  2. Susan G. Fisher MS, PhD
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Correspondence to Susan G. Fisher MS, PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA

    Hanna Z. Mieszczanska

  2. Division of Cardiology, University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

    Gladys P. Velarde

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag London

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Sherazi, S., Fisher, S.G. (2014). Cardiovascular Disease in Women: Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease in Women- Sex Differences in Disease Incidence and Prevalence. Population Representation, Diversity, Disparities. In: Mieszczanska, H., Velarde, G. (eds) Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Women. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5517-1_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5517-1_1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-5517-1

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