Toward a Better Understanding of Cardiovascular Risk in the Transgender and Gender-Diverse Community: A Global Call to Action

Abstract

On World Heart Day 2022, the Mexican Society of Cardiology, the Inter-American Society of Cardiology, and the World Heart Federation collaborated on a public call to action regarding the increased risk of adverse cardiovascular health outcomes in transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals. The aim of this article is to unpack the numerous factors that contribute to this, such as the social stigma faced by members of the TGD community, their reduced access to clinical care, and the scarcity of research regarding the unique needs of their community, which makes it difficult for clinicians to provide individualized medical care. Decreasing the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events among TGD individuals requires interventions such as educational reform in the medical community, an increase in inclusive research studies, and broader social initiatives intended to reduce the stigma faced by TGD individuals.

Keywords

• transgender health
• cardiovascular disease
• minority stress theory