Major Adverse Cardiovascular Event Risk Emerges at Lower Coronary Plaque Burden in Women

Follow Drugslib on

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 26, 2026.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, Feb. 26, 2026 -- Major adverse cardiovascular events emerge at a lower coronary plaque burden (PB) in women than men, according to a study published online Feb. 23 in Circulation.

Jan M. Brendel, M.D., from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues compared cardiovascular risk trajectories across quantitative coronary plaque measures in women and men with stable chest pain. The analysis included data from 4,267 participants from the Prospective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of Chest Pain, with adverse events monitored for a median 26 months.

The researchers found that plaque was less frequent in women (55 versus 75 percent). While lower total plaque volume was seen in women, women and men had similar total plaque burden (PB) and incident major adverse cardiovascular events (2.3 versus 3.4 percent). In women, major adverse cardiovascular event risk became elevated at lower PB than in men. For total PB, the hazard ratio crossed 1.0 at 20 percent in women versus 28 percent in men, reaching a hazard ratio of 1.5 at 32 percent in women versus 42 percent in men. A similar pattern was seen for noncalcified PB, crossing a hazard ratio of 1.0 at 7 percent in women versus 9 percent in men and reaching a hazard ratio of 1.5 at 13 percent in women versus 20 percent in men. Findings persisted when adjusting for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score.

"Our findings underscore that women are not 'protected' from coronary events despite having lower plaque volumes," senior author Borek Foldyna, M.D., Ph.D., from Harvard University in Boston, said in a statement. "Because women have smaller coronary arteries, a small amount of plaque can have a bigger impact. Moderate increases in plaque burden appear to have disproportionate risk in women, suggesting that standard definitions of high risk may underestimate risk in women."

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-02-27 01:47

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords