Heart Disease to Hit 6 in 10 Women

- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., responsible for 1 in 3 female deaths each year. Strikingly, it kills more women than all forms of cancer combined. - The projections for 2050 indicate a significant rise in key risk factors among women, with high blood pressure expected to affect over 59% of women and obesity rates climbing to more than 61%. - Younger women are a key concern, with projections showing that by 2025, nearly one-third of women aged 22-44 will have some form of cardiovascular disease, and their diabetes rates are expected to more than double from 6% to nearly 16%. - Women of color are disproportionately affected, with projections for 2050 showing that over 70% of Black women will have high blood pressure and more than 71% will have obesity. Hispanic women are projected to see the largest increase in high blood pressure, with a rise of over 15%. - Several risk factors are unique to or more potent in women, including diabetes, which puts them at a higher risk for a range of cardiovascular conditions compared to men. Other factors include early menopause (before age 40), and health issues during pregnancy like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. - A significant issue is the gap in preventive care for younger women, who are less likely to be screened for cardiovascular disease or treated with preventive medication compared to men of the same age. - Despite the rising risks, awareness is declining. In 2019, only 44% of women recognized that heart disease is their greatest health threat. - Not all trends are negative; the prevalence of women with unhealthy cholesterol levels is projected to decrease significantly by 2050, dropping from over 42% to about 22%.