A groundbreaking study aiming to revolutionize heart disease prevention and care for women worldwide has been awarded $10 million by a coalition of leading cardiovascular disease research funders. This initiative seeks to deepen our understanding of how menopause influences heart health and will launch the largest clinical trial of its kind to detect silent arterial changes and test early prevention strategies.
The research is backed by a subgroup of the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF) through its International Research Challenge on Women’s Cardiovascular Health. This funding marks a significant milestone as the Forum’s first major joint investment, addressing critical gaps in women’s cardiovascular health.
Unveiling the SHE-HEALS Study
The SHE-HEALS study, spearheaded by BHF Professor Ziad Mallat at the University of Cambridge and Professor Martha Hickey at the University of Melbourne, will employ cutting-edge techniques to identify changes in arteries that begin during perimenopause and escalate heart disease risk. The study will also examine how the age at menopause affects heart disease risk and the impact of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Researchers argue that existing guidelines overlook a crucial window for early intervention in women. To counter this, the team will establish the largest trial to detect silent atherosclerosis—the hidden hardening of arteries, a key heart disease driver—in women during perimenopause and shortly after menopause.
Early Detection and Prevention
By identifying early disease signs before symptoms arise, the study will test whether early prevention, including targeting risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol, can halt or even reverse atherosclerosis progression.
“Healthier hearts for longer,” the SHE-HEALS team hopes their evidence will shape global guidelines, paving the way for earlier, more effective prevention to protect millions of women’s hearts.
Expert Insights and Implications
Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, emphasized the study’s potential impact: “Today, the devastating reality is that too many women still die from heart disease due to under-diagnosis and under-treatment. We’ve known for a long time that menopause affects women’s heart health, but the details needed to detect problems sooner and treat women more effectively have remained elusive.”
Dr. Griffiths added, “The SHE-HEALS project promises to provide the missing insights we urgently need, as well as revealing vital new therapies that could halt or even reverse cardiovascular disease in women. Ultimately, we want to ensure all grandmas, mums, and sisters have healthier hearts for longer and get more time with their loved ones.”
Global Collaboration and Future Prospects
The GCRFF grant represents an opportunity for international, multi-disciplinary collaboration, combining global expertise to deliver real-world impact in women’s cardiovascular health. This initiative underscores the importance of funding a network of the brightest minds and the best science.
As the study progresses, the findings could lead to significant changes in how heart disease is prevented and treated in women, potentially influencing global health policies and clinical practices. The move represents a bold step towards addressing unmet clinical needs and ensuring that women’s heart health receives the attention it deserves.
Looking ahead, the SHE-HEALS study could pave the way for new guidelines and therapies that ensure women worldwide live longer, healthier lives. As the research unfolds, the global community will be watching closely, hopeful for breakthroughs that could transform women’s cardiovascular care.
