Her heart matters: uncovering the real risks in women’s cardiovascular health
- By
- November 06 2025
- Duration 42:50
Welcome to a vital conversation about women’s cardiovascular health – a topic often overshadowed by misconceptions and underrepresentation in research. In this fireside chat, host Jennifer Law, Maternal Health Leader at Phillips, brings together Dr. Carla Goulart Peron, Chief Medical Officer and OB GYN, and Rachel McCumbers, family nurse practitioner and clinical design specialist, to challenge the notion that heart disease is primarily a “man’s disease.” The reality is stark: cardiovascular disease claims more women’s lives than all forms of cancer combined.
At-a-glance:
- Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined, and presents differently in women than in men, often with overlooked symptoms and risk factors.
- Hormonal changes and pregnancy complications increase cardiovascular risk, and women are underrepresented in research and diagnostic technology.
- Stress, anxiety and depression are all linked to poor heart outcomes.
Listen in on a conversation emphasizing the unique challenges women face when it comes to cardiovascular health, including underrepresentation in research, differences in symptoms and increased risks during life stages such as pregnancy and menopause.
- https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/facts
- https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/heart-disease-in-men-and-women
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38986672/
- https://newsroom.heart.org/news/depression-anxiety-and-stress-linked-to-poor-heart-health-in-two-ne…
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1070641/full