Prevention of Heart Failure in Women: An Expert Consensus Statement on Sex-Specific Risk Factors.

Authors

Amina Rakisheva, Giandomenico Disabato, Ana Abreu, Andrea Attanasio, Johann Bauersachs, Michael Becker, Bert Callewaert, Camil Castelo-Branco, Serenella Castelvecchio, Julie De Backer, Julia Grapsa, Gianluigi Guida, Kristina H Haugaa, Kalliopi Keramida, Lis Neubeck, Rossella E Nappi, Susanna Price, Vera Regitz-Zagrosek, Jolien W Roos-Hesselink, Karen Sliwa, Anzhela Soloveva, Isabella Sudano, Massimo Piepoli

Published in

European journal of heart failure. Jul 03, 2026. Epub Jul 03, 2026.

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality in women, yet sex-specific risk factors are usually not included in conventional predictive models. Specifically, heart failure (HF) in women may be influenced by sex-specific hormones and pathologies that need to be addressed to improve prevention and treatment. This expert consensus statement aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for HF prevention and management across specific conditions affecting women during their life-course. Each section focuses on the impact of a specific female condition on CVD and how to prevent and manage HF in specific settings: 1. Pregnancy with a specific focus on how to deal with hypertensive disorders in the acute and chronic setting and how to prevent and treat Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM); 2. Gynecological conditions predisposing to HF, such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and the menopausal transition. Emphasis is placed on chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and the "window of opportunity" for Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT); 3. Cardio-Oncology: mitigating Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction (CTRCD) in breast and gynecological cancers, focusing on female-specific cardiotoxicity profiles, the importance of subclinical detection of cardiac dysfunction and the implementation of cardioprotective strategies (ACE-inhibitors, Beta-blockers, SGLT2 inhibitors) during cardiotoxic treatments. Lifestyle interventions such as the DASH diet and exercise-based rehabilitation are highlighted as essential for maintaining cardiac reserve.

PMID:
42397084
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 03 Jul 2026.

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