Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death and is a serious issue both men and women face. But for men and women, the minerals that block the heart valves are different, according to a new study.
Associate Professor Marta Cerruti of McGill’s Department of Materials Engineering and her team conducted the study. They concluded their findings after analysing damaged heart valves from patients who had undergone transplants using the Canadian Light Source.
The study that came out in Acta Biomaterialia said that mineral deposits found in the aortic valves of men and women were different. The valve of people who suffered from stenosis, a heart condition caused by narrowing of aortic valve, was analysed.
Cerruti said that the minerals were different in shape and composition. It was found that these minerals grew slower in women, she added. The team also found a different type of mineral exclusively in female samples.
The researchers believe that the findings would help in developing better diagnostics and therapies. As such they said that new diagnostic tests should be developed for women. They said that it was possible to concentrate on the chemicals formed in women valves and dissolve them.
Noting that medical studies were not diversified, Cerruti said male mice were only used for the studies till now. But with the new findings, the researchers believe that the tests should be changed.
