Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of illness and death worldwide, yet most research has focused on men, limiting applicability to women. Evidence shows women differ from men in CVD development, presentation, and outcomes. Estrogen provides vascular protection by reducing arterial stiffness, a marker of vascular aging and CVD risk. However, estrogen levels vary with age, menstrual status, hormone use, and lifestyle, leading to diverse CVD risk profiles among women. Despite the established link between arterial stiffness and CVD, standardized methods for individualized risk prediction are lacking. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional cohort study in Edmonton, Alberta, enrolling 123 women aged 35-55. Recruitment used community and hospital postings, university newsletters, and social media. Participants completed anthropometric measurements, resting blood pressure, pulse wave analysis, and pulse wave velocity assessments using the SphygmoCor XCEL device. They also completed an online survey capturing demographic, reproductive, and sex- and gender-related factors influencing hormonal status. Data will contribute to a longitudinal registry for future analyses. Statistical analyses (SPSS) will include descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and exploratory regression to assess associations between arterial stiffness, sex-related factors, and traditional CVD risk markers. All 123 participants completed physiological assessments; survey completion is ongoing. Preliminary findings indicate a positive association between arterial stiffness and age. Future analyses will explore how hormonal and gender-related factors contribute to arterial stiffness variation. This study establishes the foundation for a registry integrating vascular and sex-specific data in women, supporting the development of tailored CVD risk assessment and prevention strategies to promote equitable cardiovascular care.