Women’s heart attack risk rises even if arteries aren’t as clogged as men’s
Analysis of CCTA scans from the PROMISE trial shows women have lower absolute plaque volumes but higher plaque burden relative to smaller coronary arteries, and their risk of heart attack or hospitalization rises at lower plaque-burden thresholds than men; non-obstructive coronary artery disease is common in women and risk increases more steeply as plaque accumulates, prompting calls to use quantitative cardiac CT metrics to guide earlier prevention and treatment decisions.
Why it mattersPROMISE trial findings suggest lowering treatment thresholds based on cardiac CT angiography plaque burden for women.