Women may develop a risk of heart attack even at lower levels of plaque deposition in the arteries, according to a study. Women are known to typically have lower amounts of artery-clogging plaque compared to men. However, researchers, including those from Harvard Medical School in the US, said it is unknown how difference in plaque levels impacts one's risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event.

"Our findings underscore that women are not 'protected' from coronary events despite having lower plaque volumes," senior author Borek Foldyna, an assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School said. "Because women have smaller coronary arteries, a small amount of plaque can have a bigger impact. Moderate increases in plaque burden appear to have disproportionate risk in women, suggesting that standard definitions of high risk may underestimate risk in women," Foldyna said.