Inflammation Linked to Elevated Heart Attack and Stroke Risks in Healthy Women

According to a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Madrid, inflammation could be a critical factor in explaining why some women experience major cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes despite lacking typical risk factors. The study, published in the European Heart Journal, tracked 12,530 initially healthy women over three decades.

The researchers found that women who started the study with elevated levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) had a 77% increased lifetime risk of coronary heart disease, a 39% increased lifetime risk of stroke, and a 52% increased lifetime risk of any major cardiovascular event compared to women with lower CRP levels. High CRP was defined as greater than 3 milligrams per liter of blood.

Looking back at earlier clinical trials, the researchers also discovered that statin drugs can cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by more than one-third for women with inflammation who lack the usual cardiovascular risk factors. The study's lead author, Dr. Paul Ridker of Mass General Brigham's Heart and Vascular Institute, emphasized the importance of identifying these high-inflammation women in their 40s to initiate preventive care, rather than waiting until the disease has progressed in their 70s.

While lifestyle and behavioral changes remain crucial, the findings suggest that statin therapy could play a significant role in reducing cardiovascular risks for women with elevated inflammation but no other typical risk factors.