Research summary
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of preventable death in women in Canada, but many are unaware of this risk. Younger women are somewhat protected by hormones like estrogen, and may not know about the risk factors that can emerge as they approach middle age. This lack of awareness is partly because historically, limited research has been conducted on women’s cardiovascular health.
As Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Adaptation to Exercise, Dr. Anita Coté is trying to understand how the female cardiovascular system responds to exercise during adolescence and pre-menopausal adulthood. She and her research team are also using imaging tools to detect and assess subclinical and clinical cardiovascular outcomes. (A subclinical disease is one that is present, but not yet causing symptoms.) Ultimately, their work may help improve the health of women as they age by helping them avoid cardiovascular disease.