One woman dies every 11 minutes from a heart attack in Brazil, according to DataSUS

Cardiovascular diseases cause more deaths in women than breast cancer, lung cancer and chronic lung diseases combined

The cardiovascular diseases are still among the main causes of death among women in Brazil. According to data from DataSUS, a woman dies every 11 minutes due to acute myocardial infarction in the country.

According to cardiologist Egle Costa Oppi, executive medical manager at Biolab Farmacêutica, cardiovascular diseases cause more deaths in women than breast cancer, lung cancer and chronic lung diseases combined.

The specialist says that cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment in women require specific attention, This is because the manifestations of the diseases can be different from those seen in men.

“While in men the problems usually affect large arteries, in women the involvement of smaller vessels is more common, which can make it difficult to identify in traditional tests,” she explains.

Risk factors can be more aggressive

According to Egle Costa, known risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension tend to have a greater impact on the female organism.

Women with diabetes, for example, have a higher cardiovascular risk compared to men with the same condition. In addition, hormonal changes throughout life can directly influence heart health.

The cardiologist points out that conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, fibroids, premature menopause, lupus and chronic migraines can also increase cardiovascular risk.

“The cardiovascular prevention model for women cannot simply be an adaptation of what is already done for men. There are biological and hormonal characteristics that need to be taken into account,” she says.

Treatment and prevention require individualized monitoring

Experts recommend that women's cardiovascular care be monitored in a multidisciplinary way, involving cardiologists, gynecologists and other health professionals.

Pregnancy and the menopause, for example, can serve as important periods for identifying future risks. Routine examinations can also help in the early detection of cardiovascular alterations.

Another point to watch out for is the side effects of hypertension medication. According to the cardiologist, women tend to have more adverse reactions, such as swollen ankles, which can lead to treatment being discontinued.

“When the discomfort caused by side effects is too great, many patients stop taking their medication correctly, which increases the risk of cardiovascular complications,” he explains.

Search for more specific treatments

The specialist points out that new approaches are seeking to develop drugs that are better suited to the characteristics of the female organism.

Among them is the use of more precise molecules, such as levanlodipine, developed to act with a lower chemical load in the body and reduce side effects associated with the treatment of hypertension.

According to Biolab, studies show a significant reduction in swelling in the feet and ankles with the use of the technology, favoring long-term treatment continuity.

The pharmaceutical company has been running the “Biolab Together for Them” initiative for four years, aimed at raising awareness of women's cardiovascular health.

“Treatment needs to take women's biological differences into account in order to be safer and more effective,” she concluded.

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