Q&A: Pharmacists Can Help Women Combat Hidden Heart Disease Risks

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women, yet many risk factors often go unnoticed.¹ While high blood pressure and diabetes are well-known contributors, issues like depression, stress, and loneliness are frequently overlooked. Pharmacists are in a unique position to identify these hidden risks by building trusting relationships and encouraging regular health screenings, said Katherine Tromp, PharmD, interim dean at Northeast Ohio Medical University College of Pharmacy. Pharmacists also play a key role in counseling on lifestyle changes, using motivational interviewing to inspire healthier habits.

Q&A: Pharmacists Can Help Women Combat Hidden Heart Disease Risks / REDPIXEL - stock.adobe.com

Drug Topics® recently sat down with Tromp to discuss the most common cardiovascular risk factors in women that pharmacists should be aware of, the role pharmacists play in identifying early signs of cardiovascular disease in women, how pharmacists can help in the prevention of heart disease through lifestyle modification counseling, challenges women face in managing their heart health, and resources pharmacists can use to stay informed about cardiovascular health in women.

Drug Topics: What are some of the most common cardiovascular risk factors in women that pharmacists should be aware of?

Katherine Tromp, PharmD: The ones that we tend to see are those common disease states like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. But some of the ones we don't always think about include things like depression, stress, loneliness, as well as the different life stages that women go through, like menopause and pregnancy.

Drug Topics: What role do pharmacists play in identifying early signs of cardiovascular disease in women, particularly those who may not have typical risk factors?

Tromp: Making sure that the pharmacists have that awareness of looking for some of those less well known symptoms, like the loneliness and depression and just having conversations and connecting with patients if you have any concerns about those risk factors. Since a lot of our early symptoms of high cholesterol and high blood pressure don't actually have symptoms, making sure the patients are aware of that and encouraging them to make their annual appointments with their healthcare provider.

Drug Topics: Can pharmacists help in the prevention of heart disease in women through lifestyle modification counseling? If so, what are some key areas to focus on?

Tromp: Definitely, I think that's a great opportunity for pharmacists. One that jumps out is smoking cessation, and depending on the state that you live in, you have a lot of different options available as a pharmacist for recommending smoking cessation treatments. I think pharmacists are just great at motivational interviewing in general, so that works really well with smoking cessation. It also works well with dietary changes, as well as lifestyle, exercise management and things like that.

Drug Topics: What are some challenges women face in managing their heart health, and how can pharmacists address these challenges effectively?

Tromp: The number one challenge for women with heart health is finding time. We tend to be very, very busy with children and families and all of the other things that life brings. It's hard to prioritize ourselves over all those other people that we feel like we need to care for. I think making sure that we're encouraging women to make the time to care for their heart health is one of the most important things that we can encourage women to do.

Drug Topics: What resources or tools do you recommend for pharmacists to stay informed about cardiovascular health in women?

Tromp: I think one of the best resources is the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign. They do a lot of different local events and activities. That's something you can refer your patients to, as well as get involved with yourself. The FDA has a great website for women's cardiovascular health. Then just making sure that you're always up to date with the latest treatment guidelines for things like high blood pressure and diabetes also will help you stay as informed as possible.

READ MORE: Women's Health Resource Center

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References

1. Leading Causes of Death, United States. Report. CDC. December 11, 2024. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/lcod/index.html