Fig. 1

Generalized development of sex differences in structural cardiac remodeling and possible heart failure (HF) outcomes. Men (blue lines) and women (red lines) often show different structural remodeling after an initial injury (e.g., hypertension and MI.) leading to acute inflammation and different disease outcomes. In general, women tend to develop HF later than men. The older, the more patients suffer from cardiovascular diseases; however, in women this seems to be clearly related to the onset of their menopause. Thickness of lines mirrors the general number of patients suffering from the HF type at that age