Researchers have urged that women’s heart disease risks should be assessed in their 30s rather than waiting until after menopause. A study presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in London revealed that simple blood tests can now estimate a woman’s risk of cardiovascular disease over the next 30 years. The study leader, Dr. Paul Ridker from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, highlighted the importance of this finding not only for patient care but also for manufacturers of cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory drugs. Current guidelines suggest that women generally should not start preventive treatments until their 60s or 70s, but the new data indicate the need to revise these recommendations to address long-term risks more effectively.

The study, which involved 27,939 participants from the Women’s Health Initiative, showed that women with the highest levels of LDL-C (bad cholesterol), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and lipoprotein(a) were significantly more likely to experience major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or strokes, over the next three decades. Women with elevated levels of all three markers were found to be 2.6 times more likely to suffer a major cardiovascular event and 3.7 times more likely to have a stroke. Dr. Ridker emphasized that these biomarkers are independent and point to different biological issues, requiring tailored therapeutic approaches. While drugs to lower LDL-C and hsCRP are widely available, those targeting lipoprotein(a) are still in development. The findings, although primarily based on white American women, are expected to have an even greater impact on Black and Hispanic women, who have higher rates of undetected inflammation. Dr. Ridker called for universal screening for hsCRP and lipoprotein(a) to prevent cardiovascular diseases globally.