Pregnancy and Heart Disease
Nov 28, 2018
The American Heart Association recommends scheduling a “pre-pregnancy” evaluation with your primary doctor and cardiologist to discuss any concerns you may have connected to pregnancy and heart disease.
Latest Research in Women's Health
Why We Focus Research on Women
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, killing one woman about every 80 seconds.
Such an aggressive disease requires an equally aggressive response.
That’s why the American Heart Association has invested more than $5 billion in research that:
- Increases our knowledge and understanding about heart disease and stroke; and
- Makes the association the largest funder of heart disease and stroke research, second only to the U.S. government.
Doctors rely on research to inform the work they do to help you — the patient — prevent and treat heart disease and stroke.
There has been progress, but in 2020, only 38% of clinical trial participants are women. We’re working every day to change that number.
There are significant biological differences between men and women, and research should reflect those differences. That’s why the AHA is committed to funding research focused on women.
You Can Make A Difference
Research Goes Red
Together, we can unlock the power of science to find new ways to treat, beat and prevent heart disease in all women.
Strategically Focused Research Network
The Go Red for Women SFRN is studying a range of topics in women, including stress, sedentary behavior, poor sleep, pregnancy and heart failure.
Support Women's Research
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women. Learn more about the critical need for more research to help save more women’s lives.
Latest Research
Menopause Drug May Increase Blood Clot Risk
Nov 26, 2018
A common estrogen therapy drug used in the treatment of menopause may be linked to an increased risk of blood clots, according to a 2017 study of post-menopausal women.
African-American Risk Detection Increases
Nov 26, 2018
Doctors can now calculate cardiovascular risk in African-Americans for the first time ever. The new equations offer greater accuracy in predicting the chances of heart attack or stroke in African-Americans, whose risk levels are higher than whites.
Netherlands Study Shows Women Arrive Late and Don’t get Best Treatment
Nov 21, 2018
Women with strokes caused by blood clots are less likely than men to arrive at the hospital in time to receive the best treatment, according to a European study reported in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Women Fare Worse Than Men After Heart Attack
Nov 21, 2018
Women age 55 or younger may fare worse than their male counterparts after having a heart attack, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions.
Fertility Therapy and Heart Disease Risk
Nov 21, 2018
Women who gave birth after receiving fertility therapy had about half the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or death in the subsequent decade, compared with women who gave birth without this therapy, researchers report.
