Breaking Down Barriers … and Calcium: The EMPOWERment of Women With Calcific Coronary Artery Disease
Abstract
For decades, a significant data gap has plagued the field of interventional cardiology research. While coronary artery disease (CAD) remains one of the leading causes of mortality for women, the evidence base for the diagnosis and treatment of CAD is overwhelmingly derived from men. The management pathways for some aspects of CAD appear to perform equally as well for both sexes, but when it comes to the percutaneous treatment of calcified coronary lesions, which may not be the case. Compared with men, women with heavily calcified CAD are typically older, have smaller, more tortuous vessels and tend to present with a higher burden of comorbidities, all of which set them up for higher rates of intraprocedural complications and poorer long-term outcomes.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Coronary Interventions and Diagnostics
Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics
Sex and Gender in Healthcare
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 104383–104383
- Publication date
- 10 February 2026
- Language
- EN