A groundbreaking study has improved the detection of heart failure in women, potentially enabling earlier diagnoses for more female patients. Led by teams from the Universities of East Anglia (UEA), Sheffield, and Leeds, researchers refined how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to detect heart failure in women’s hearts, boosting its accuracy. Dr. Pankaj Garg from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, who also serves as a cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, noted that this advancement allowed them to diagnose 16.5% more women with heart failure. This is significant for the NHS, which sees around 200,000 new cases of heart failure annually, and the new method is expected to enable earlier detection and faster access to life-saving treatments.
Typically, diagnosing heart failure involves measuring heart pressure using a catheter, an invasive procedure that carries patient risk. To offer a non-invasive alternative, the research team developed an equation to estimate heart pressure using MRI images. However, early MRI techniques lacked precision for women, especially in detecting borderline cases. This study addresses this gap, focusing on the biological differences between men’s and women’s hearts. The research team also found that certain types of heart failure, where the heart’s pumping ability is preserved but relaxation is impaired, disproportionately affect women and are challenging to detect using echocardiograms.
The findings could lead to more accurate diagnoses for this cohort, ultimately improving treatment options. Dr. Peter Swoboda from the University of Leeds emphasized that timely diagnosis can significantly enhance life expectancy and quality of life for heart failure patients. This government-supported research, involving collaborators from institutions worldwide and backed by several health-focused organizations, marks a major step forward in addressing gender-specific health disparities and underscores the UK’s Women’s Health Strategy to bridge the gap in medical research for men and women.
