Women with type 2 diabetes at greater risk of undetected heart damage: Study

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Women with type 2 diabetes are nearly twice as likely as men to have undetected heart damage, according to a new study by Leicester researchers.

The research is a detailed investigation into coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) to uncover sex-specific risk patterns in people with no signs of heart disease.

CMD is a form of early, silent heart damage caused by impaired blood flow in the heart's smallest vessels. Using advanced MRI scans and data taken from four studies conducted at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), researchers found that 46 per cent of the women with type 2 diabetes had signs of CMD, compared to just 26 per cent of the men.

"We're seeing early warning signs of heart disease that aren't picked up through routine checks, and it's women who seem to be most affected," said NIHR Research Professor at the University of Leicester, Gerry McCann, lead investigator of the study.

"What makes this study remarkable is that all participants were asymptomatic, which means they had no diagnosed heart problems, no chest pain, and no shortness of breath. Yet the scans told a different story."

Dr Gaurav Gulsin, co-author and NIHR Clinical Lecturer, added: "The study also found that the drivers of CMD differ by sex. In women, CMD was most strongly linked to higher body weight (BMI). However, in men, higher blood pressure was the more significant factor.

"This suggests we may need to rethink how we assess cardiovascular risk and that women and men could warrant sex-specific treatments."

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