Fewer than half of cardiovascular trial participants are women: 3 things to know

Women represent 41% of participants in clinical trials investigating cardiovascular health and disease, according to a study published Aug. 31 in JAMA Network Open.

Led by researchers from Los Angeles-based Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, the study analyzed participant data of 1,079 cardiovascular clinical trials from between 2017 and 2023, a Sept. 2 news release from the health system said. 

Here are three things to know from the study:

1. Researchers applied a participation-to-prevalence ratio to identify the proportion of women in a clinical trial compared to the proportion of women who have the condition the trial is investigating.
2. While the overall rate of women participating in cardiovascular clinical trials was 41%, the participation-to-prevalence ratios varied across disease types.

   Ratios were lowest among trials for coronary heart disease, acute coronary syndrome and stroke. Obesity and pulmonary hypertension trials had higher female participation.

3. Women ages 19-55 were more likely to enroll in a clinical trial compared to women older than 60.

   Women were more likely to participate in lifestyle intervention trials over procedural trials.

Read the full study here. 

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