A million-dollar global research project co-led by Australia and the UK is taking a key step towards closing the gender gap in heart disease.
Professor Martha Hickey from the Royal Women’s Hospital has been appointed co-lead investigator on the five-year study, which will examine links between menopause and women's heart health.
SHE-HEALS will investigate how heart disease risk changes at menopause. It will also look at whether earlier menopause impacts this risk. A large clinical trial will test new interventions to prevent heart disease before symptoms appear.
Spanning seven countries, the multi-pronged research program is supported by a US$10 million grant from the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum.
Professor Hickey will work with global co-lead Professor Ziad Mallat from the University of Cambridge. Professor Hickey is Chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne and Head of Menopause Services at the Women’s.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women. However, most research and prevention guidelines are based on studies in men. After menopause, women’s risk of heart disease rises significantly — but the mechanisms behind that shift are poorly understood.
Professor Hickey said the study aims to provide new evidence and opportunities to prevent or reduce risk.
“Menopause may be a critical time for women’s heart health, but we are not acting early enough,” she said. “This project will help us understand what is causing women to have an increased risk of heart disease after menopause and what we can do to prevent it.”
The study will run the largest clinical trial of its kind to detect silent atherosclerosis. This is the early hardening of arteries that occurs before symptoms such as heart attack or stroke. Researchers will test if early treatment can slow or reverse disease in women during and shortly after menopause. This includes lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
The Women’s will host major parts of the Australian program. This includes the world’s largest prospective controlled study of early surgical menopause (WHAM – What Happens after Menopause?) led by Professor Hickey and Dr Sarah Price from the Women’s. Surgical menopause occurs when a woman’s ovaries are removed before menopause.
Dr Sarah Price, Director of Obstetric Medicine at the Women’s, is a lead investigator on WHAM. She said the Australian research will be crucial.
“Women who experience early or surgical menopause help us understand how heart disease risk develops,” Dr Price said. “This study allows us to test prevention strategies that can be used in everyday clinical care.”
She said there was a strong need for evidence designed specifically for women.
“We need better information that reflects women’s biology and life stages so we can improve outcomes,” she said.
The Women’s CEO Professor Sue Matthews said the funding acknowledges the hospital’s leadership in women’s health research.
“We are delighted that the Royal Women’s Hospital has been recognised with this significant funding,” Professor Matthews said.
“This reflects the expertise at the Women’s and our long‑term commitment to addressing sex and gender inequities and improving health outcomes for women.”
Professor Hickey noted that, even though the study is international, Australia’s role through the Royal Women’s Hospital is key to its focus on menopause and prevention.
The research aims to shape global guidelines and encourage quicker action to safeguard women’s heart health.
The study is funded by the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum. Support comes from several groups:
- American Heart Association
- British Heart Foundation
- Danish Heart Foundation
- Dutch Heart Foundation
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
- Leducq Foundation
- National Heart Foundation of Australia
- National Heart Foundation of New Zealand
- Swiss Heart Foundation
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