Women with diabetes may face more hidden heart damage
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Among people with diabetes, women are nearly twice as likely as men to have hidden heart disease, according to an analysis published in the Summer 2025 issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance.
Researchers evaluated 479 people ages 18 to 75 with diabetes (42% women) and 116 people without diabetes (41% women) and compared sex differences for a phenomenon called coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). CMD refers to problems in the small blood vessels of the heart, which can stiffen and impair blood flow to the organ even when larger arteries are clear. Specialized tests, including cardiac MRI, measured microvascular function in participants’ hearts.
Even without diagnosed heart disease, women with diabetes had significantly worse coronary microvascular function than men with diabetes. High blood pressure was a significant risk factor for CMD for both sexes, but particularly for men. In women, having higher body mass index was linked to worse microvascular function. Increased attention to weight management and early screening for microvascular changes might be especially important for women with diabetes, study authors said.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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