Summary
Objective. The aim of this paper is to review the recent literature describing the different presentation, clinical features and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases between different sexes.
Methods. The publication databases PubMed and Cochrane Library, as well as the specialized information search system Google Scholar, were selected for the search of scientific literature sources.
Conclusions. Summarizing the results of various scientific studies, it can be stated that the most common cause of gender differences is the female reproductive system together with sex hormones. Estrogen levels in the blood are an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (it has antiarrhythmic, antiatherosclerotic, and antihypertensive properties), as evidenced by rising rates of cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal women. Symptoms also vary, with women often experiencing more symptoms than men. Another important aspect is pregnancy complications, which increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality in women. Obesity, excessive weight gain, and long-term high weight after pregnancy increase the cumulative risk of pregnancy complications that put women at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality compared to men. However, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease develops earlier in men and usually has more severe coronary atherosclerosis than in women, as a result of which myocardial infarction usually occurs 10 years earlier in men and is associated with a wider localization of atherosclerosis than in women.
