The American Heart Association has published a special Go Red for Women issue of its flagship journal, Circulation, featuring new research and perspectives aimed at advancing cardiovascular care for women. The issue, released on February 16, 2026, coincides with American Heart Month and highlights critical findings on pregnancy-related cardiovascular health, acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in premenopausal women, and other topics that address the persistent disparities in women's heart disease and stroke care.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for women globally, yet significant progress has been made through sex-specific research, as noted in the special issue. According to the American Heart Association's 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, nearly 45% of women over age 20 are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. A new scientific statement from the Association, also published in the issue, details that premenopausal women with ACS often face delayed diagnosis and atypical symptom recognition, leading to worse outcomes compared to men. The statement encourages improved clinical awareness, tailored diagnostic strategies, and greater representation of women in research to close these gaps.
Dr. Stacey Rosen, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, contributed an article titled "Redefining Cardiovascular Medicine: The Journey from 'Does Sex Matter?' to 'How Does Sex Matter?'" in which she urges clinicians, researchers, and educators to understand the role of sex in cardiovascular health. "Improving the cardiovascular health of women is a call to action for every clinician, researcher and educator to go beyond being an ally; to become an advocate or even an accomplice in integrating 'sex as a biological variable' as a foundational pillar in the effort to improve health outcomes for all," she wrote.
Several studies in the issue examined pregnancy-related conditions that impact maternal and infant health. Research featured includes hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and their contribution to premature cardiovascular disease, the effects of discontinuing statins before pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes, and the impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy on blood pressure in children. Additionally, researchers explored how preexisting conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome are linked to various cardiovascular conditions.
The issue also highlights opportunities to increase women's leadership in clinical trials and leverage artificial intelligence to improve understanding of cardiovascular disease risk in women. Less than 40% of research trial participants are women, underscoring the need for inclusive research practices. The Association launched Go Red for Women in 2004 to address these gaps, and funds raised have supported over 200,000 healthcare professionals with educational tools to improve women's health.
Key manuscripts in the special issue include original research on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and premature cardiovascular disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome and long-term arrhythmia risk, and statin discontinuation in pregnancy. Research letters cover topics such as maternal smoking and childhood blood pressure, aortic dissection in women with Turner syndrome, and clopidogrel versus aspirin monotherapy in coronary artery disease stratified by sex.
The special editors of the issue, Drs. Mercedes Carnethon and Sana Al-Khatib, will host an episode of the Circulation on the Run podcast to discuss the findings. The podcast will be available on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. CT. For more information, readers can access the full issue here and the American Heart Association's news on X @HeartNews.
