Women’s hearts at the heart of our research
Let’s accelerate the pace of progress
Women’s cardiovascular health has always been approached with a universal lens, one that has often ignored the biological characteristics of women. As a result, heart disease in women is currently understudied in clinical trials, underdiagnosed, and undertreated.
At the Montreal Heart Institute, we’ve chosen to act. We are focusing on basic, clinical, and prevention research as well as precision medicine to redefine women's heart health.
Basic research
Experts at the MHI study women’s heart health at every stage of development, from pregnancy to menopause.
Dr. Céline Fiset and Dr. Catherine Martel are perfect examples. These two researchers aim to better understand the biological mechanisms that are unique to women.
Dr. Fiset focuses on how arrhythmias can impact the health of a pregnant woman and her unborn child while Dr. Martel explores the role of lymphatic veins in the development of atherosclerosis in menopausal women.
Clinical research
Dr. Guillaume Marquis-Gravel and his team are conducting the PANTHEON study to find a safer antiplatelet treatment for women following a heart attack.
This major study could drastically improve the quality of care provided to patients who are not eligible for an angioplasty – mostly women – by testing an antiplatelet treatment that could be better tolerated.
For Dr. Marquis-Gravel, it is vital that we rethink approaches to better protect women after a heart attack. His goal is to reduce the risk of another heart attack, decrease side effects, and establish new health guidelines for women.
Prevention research
How menopause affects a woman’s heart and brain health is still not fully understood.
At the MHI, Dr. Claudine Gauthier’s project aims to demonstrate that hormone therapy could prevent heart problems and cognitive impairment caused by hormonal changes.
Her research project, which utilizes advanced imaging and preventive medicine, will increase our understanding of vascular aging and improve prevention efforts to the benefit of women’s health.
Precision medicine
Less than 30% of participants in current clinical studies in cardiology are women. This is leading to major disparities in how drug dosages are adjusted.
Dr. Simon de Denus’s project examines nearly 50 cardiovascular medications with the objective of adapting treatments to each person’s genetic, metabolic, and biological profile.
This project paves the way to a precision medicine that allows every patient, especially women, to receive care that is truly tailored to their unique profile.
Taking action for women's heart health
The Women’s Heart Health Fund aims to raise $25 million by 2030. It is an initiative that will have a direct impact on our mission to continue to save more lives and reduce the rate of mortality associated with heart disease by 30% by 2030.
This fund will also accelerate the pace of research and clinical innovation by supporting myriad projects that aim to better understand, prevent, diagnose, and treat heart disease in women. Projects that will turn discoveries into tangible solutions that are truly tailored to them.
Every donation helps us build the cardiovascular medicine of tomorrow. Together, we can redefine women’s heart health.