Ludeman Family Center for Women's Health Research

04/20/2026

04/20/2026

Mammograms are key to early detection of breast cancer, and they can also provide clues to heart health. Women who have calcium build-up within the arteries of the breast are at a 51% higher risk for heart disease and stroke than women who do not. Ask your doctor if you’re due for a mammogram.

04/20/2026

Recently, published an article breaking down why women with diabetes are less likely to receive preventative care and some cancer screenings as compared to women without diabetes. It is well known that there are major disparities in and harmful prejudices against women in the healthcare system. In this article, researchers share critical and striking information about how women with diabetes receive less contraceptive care, fewer breast cancer screenings, and less pre-conception counseling, as compared to their peers without diabetes. To quote the article in of General Internal Medicine, "One of the more striking findings of this review is the importance of robust coordinated care teams in ensuring access to appropriate services for women with the disease”. Senior author Lauren Wisk noted, “Future research should look into how health systems should use electronic health records to increase preventive health services among women with diabetes, improve care-coordination and communication between healthcare providers, and evaluate co-management models' quality of care." Read more here.

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/women-with-diabetes-less-likely-receive-preventive-care-and

04/15/2026

A new article from features research from the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology that showed higher B vitamin intake, whether from foods or vitamins, was linked to a modestly lower risk of stroke. Although eating more foods with B vitamins alone will not make your risk or stroke disappear, taking in more food or B vitamin supplements is safe and may lower your risk of stroke. It is no surprise that B vitamins are commonly found in many heart-healthy foods, such as leafy greens, sunflower seeds, fish, and almonds, just to name a few. When it comes to how you should get your intake of B vitamins, researchers suggest its best to get it from eating food so you can reap the benefits of added nutrients like fiber. The study itself could not tease out any potential confounding for the additional health benefits of B-vitamin rich foods as compared to B vitamin supplements. To learn more about the study findings and ways to increase your intake of different types of B vitamins, read the full article here.

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a70823305/higher-b-vitamin-levels-lower-stroke-risk/

04/14/2026

It’s and we’re highlighting the higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes in American Indian/Alaskan Native, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and Asian American adults. The National Diabetes Prevention Program can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Learn your risk at dpp.diabetes.org/DiabetesPrevention.

04/14/2026

the long-standing misconception that heart attacks only happen in older individuals or younger men is a "blind spot" among the general public and health professionals? A recent Network article explores how when premenopausal women develop symptoms of a "heart attack" officially termed an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), there are often delays in evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. Cardiologists in this article note these delays are due to a misattribution of the presenting symptoms to other causes such as "anxiety or indigestion." Recently, the released a Scientific Statement that serves as a call to action on the current best practices to diagnose and treat ACS among premenopausal women. It is imperative that healthcare teams follow the current diagnostic and treatment recommendations for this under-recognized group of women and that further emphasis is placed on recognizing past pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia as a risk for developing ACS at an earlier age. Read the article now.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2847165

04/12/2026

Huge congrats to Ludeman Center Associate Director Jane E.B. Reusch, MD, for being recognized at the 2026 Professional Membership Awards by the American Heart Association. This award honors outstanding scientific achievement in the prevention and treatment of macrovascular complications. The 's National Scientific and Health Care Achievement Awards honor academics, clinicians, and educators who have contributed to substantial advances in diabetes care and research. Thank you Dr. Reusch for your continued dedication to .

https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/american-diabetes-association-announces-2026-national-scientific-and-health

04/09/2026

We are excited to see Ludeman Center researcher David Kao, MD, and his research featured in a article about how caffeinated coffee and tea could help protect you against dementia. Dr. Kao is the Jacqueline Marie Schauble Leaffer Endowed Chair in Women’s Heart Disease and associate professor of medicine at and studies the gaps in knowledge of heart disease between men and women. In this article, Dr. Kao says "coffee can reduce inflammation, blood pressure and oxidative stress (the last of which can lead to cell and tissue damage), thus helpfully impacting many of the physical signs of aging." Despite this information he also says that the evidence isn’t quite strong enough to suggest that people should start adding more caffeine to their diet. Learn more here.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/09/health/coffee-tea-caffeine-dementia-wellness

04/08/2026

Ludeman Center researcher and professor of geriatric medicine at Kerrie Moreau, PhD, is featured in an in-depth Q&A for CU Anschutz to discuss the differences in cardiovascular disease between s*xes. The reality is that cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States, taking the life of one in three women. Dr. Moreau's research aims to examine the different levels of benefits women and men get from exercise as well as improve cardiovascular health in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Here, she shares important information about different symptoms men and women experience during a heart attack, the impact of hormones on cardiovascular health, how exercise impacts men and women differently, and much more. Read the full article here.

https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/what-are-the-differences-in-cardiovascular-disease-between-the-s*xes

04/06/2026

Congratulations to two Ludeman Center researchers Kerrie Moreau, PhD, and Emily Larson, PhD, for their recent article for . Together, they are conducting research utilizing digital therapeutic intervention technology to improve sleep and cardiovascular health for women. Women are 2x as likely as men to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and there’s historically been less research focused on the effects of PTSD on women’s health. Their research goal is understand how PTSD-related nightmares impact cardiovascular health by using NightWare technology that monitors a patient during sleep as well as doing lifespan research to try to understand the biology of aging. Read the full article here.

https://news.cuanschutz.edu/medicine/ptsd-women-heart-health

03/30/2026

celebrates the committed physicans who provide high-quality health care to individuals and communities in the pursuit of a healthier world. At the Ludeman Center, we connect early-career researchers with incredible physicians and faculty leaders who provide 1:1 mentorship and support to help further their research projects and expand their knowledge of their field. In addition, we have funded more than 110 researchers whose work that has included leading cardiologists, neurologists, and endocrinologists and is helping to close the gaps in . Learn more about their work here.

https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/center-for-womens-health-research/about-us/faculty-researchers

03/29/2026

A new forecast from the reveals that by 2050, 6 in 10 U.S. women are projected to have at least one type of cardiovascular disease, as compared to less than half of U.S. women at present. Of particular concern, there are also major increases in cardiovascular disease projected for young women aged 20-44 years old, driven in part by rising rates of obesity and high blood pressure. There is a silver lining that the prevalence of women with unhealthy cholesterol levels is projected to improve due to more aggressive treatment. Importantly, there are simple and important steps that experts recommend for women to take to lower their risk for heart disease.

+ Schedule Annual Wellness visits and ask their health care team if their cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels are at target or need improvement
+ Practice healthier habits from the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8, including eating a heart-healthy diet, targeting regular physical activity, and getting healthy amounts of sleep (7-9 hours)
+ Pro tips for physical activity include: 1) commit to moving more throughout the day and 2) increase activity gradually, so its not overwhelming

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2026/02/25/a-troubling-forecast-on-womens-heart-health-and-what-women-and-girls-can-do-now-to-protect-theirs