Sex Specific Mechanisms of Myocardial Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

Abstract Heart failure (HF) is one of the major health threats of western societies. Women are more likely to survive than men and HF in women frequently occurs at an older age and with less ischemic etiology than men. In western populations, HFpEF has a greater prevalence in women and HFrEF in men. Risk factors for HF differ in women and men. Hypertension contributes to the risk for heart failure in women to a greater extent than in men and diabetes is a stronger risk factor for HF in women than in men. The interaction between diabetes and atherogenic and prohypertrophic mechanisms and cardiovascular risk in women has been related to sexual hormones. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) occur 3–4 times more often in men than women below age 60, but after 75 years women represent the majority of patients. IHD seems to lead more frequently to HF in women than in men. Dilated cardiomyopathy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are more frequent causes of HF in men than in women.