Shaping the future of women’s cardiovascular care

Traditionally, women have been under-represented in research studies, so despite their unique differences there is a gap in understanding how women’s unique experiences, such as pregnancy and menopause, impact their cardiovascular health. 

The Libin Institute developed the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Initiative (WCHI) to address the historical gap in women’s cardiovascular research. 

Launched in 2019 under the leadership of clinician-researcher Dr. Sofia Ahmed, MD, the initiative was formed by a grassroots group of Libin researchers. At first glance, this group may have seemed unlikely to team up given their varied backgrounds. They were researchers and clinicians with diverse interests and specialities, but their desire to improve cardiovascular outcomes for women and to work together to make lasting change brought them together. 

This collaborative, multi-disciplinary model has proven to be successful. 

 “Having a network of people who are dedicated to improving women’s cardiovascular health can make a big difference,” says Dr. Lauren Drogos, PhD, operations lead for the initiative. “It ensures that people aren’t working in a silo and that everyone has the supports they need.”

The initiative has had numerous successes since its formation. In 2019, it was recognized nationally with a Certificate of Excellence from Hypertension Canada for advocating for the incorporation of sex and gender-based considerations in hypertension and cardiovascular care, research, and education. In 2020, it received a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award from the University of Calgary for its contributions towards creating an equitable, welcoming and inclusive environment.

Initiative members have also been highly successful, with some of the key highlights listed below.  

Dr. Sofia Ahmed received the Hypertension Canada Certificate of Excellence Award. 

Dr. Kara Nerenberg was named the Heart and Stroke Mid-Career Women's Heart and Brain Health Chair

Dr. Kara Nerenberg, Dr. Sofia Ahmed, and Dr. Sandra Dumanski contributed to the Canadian Women's Heart Health Alliance ATLAS on the Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Women. 

Dr. Sandra Dumanski and Dr. Satish Raj received the early-career investigator and the senior investigator award, respectively, from the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance. 

A group of Libin researchers including Cindy Kalenga, Dr. Kara Nerenberg, Dr. Sofia Ahmed, Dr. Amy Metcalfe, and Dr. Jennifer MacRae published an article on how the route of administration of estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women impacts hypertension risk in the prestigious journal Hypertension. 

Optimizing women’s cardiovascular health

Nearly five years later, the initiative is going strong and has recently been invigorated with the recruitment of a new director. A clinician-scientist specializing in heart rhythm, Dr. Roopinder Sandhu, MD, is a cardiac epidemiologist and health services researcher with a particular passion for women’s heart health.

She is excited about the future of women’s heart health and research in Calgary.  

“We have an opportunity to develop a national centre of excellence right here in Calgary,” she says. 

Sandhu and the team will continue to focus on the four pillars of the Initiative: clinical care, research, education, and community outreach. The goal is to ensure that the information generated through research translates into clinical practice and that women in the community take an active role in improving their heart health. 

Sandhu will also lead the development of a new clinic focused on women’s cardiovascular health. The clinic will bring together providers with a range of cardiology expertise and those in other specialities where woman are also at risk for having heart conditions.    

“There’s a strong foundation already in place here, and we have a tremendous opportunity to improve the health of women at risk or living with heart disease through exceptional clinical care and innovative research,” says Sandhu.

Read more about the Libin Cardiovascular Institute's Top 20 Achievements of the last 20 years here.