Brittany Barreto, Ph.D., is a podcaster, entrepreneur, and molecular and human geneticist. (In other words, she’s really smart.) Read her column here each month to find out what’s happening in the world of women’s health technology and innovation.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. However, women are still more likely than men to be misdiagnosed, dismissed, or diagnosed late. This is particularly true for Black women, who are more likely to develop heart disease earlier, experience worse treatment outcomes, and face systemic bias at nearly every step of treatment. higher risks and worse outcomes at almost every step of care.
For decades, most heart research, diagnostic tools and treatments were focused on the male body. Women’s symptoms are more likely to be described as anxiety, stress or “normal aging”.
Now a new wave of upcoming women-centric heart health technology is working to close these gaps. These tools are reshaping risk assessment, data collection, diagnostics and care around women’s bodies and lived experiences.
Here’s how these innovations fit together and why they’re important.
Step 1: Help women understand their risk sooner
Ora Health (MyAdesso)
(Photo/Courtesy of Adesso Health)
One of the biggest problems facing women’s heart health is that many women don’t realize they are at risk until something goes wrong.
Adesso Health’s MyAdesso The platform focuses on early risk awareness and prevention. The program begins with a short intake that generates a personalized Adesso Heart Score, designed to help women understand their potential risk of heart disease and what to do next.
Instead of just focusing on numbers like cholesterol, the platform takes a broader look at exercise, diet, sleep, stress, relationships, menopause, pregnancy history and how to talk to your healthcare provider (HCP).
This type of education may be particularly important for women whose symptoms have previously been dismissed or told they are “too young” to worry about heart disease.
According to Adesso Health, the MyAdesso digital program is currently being redesigned. An updated version is expected to relaunch in spring 2026.
Step 2: Collect better heart data from women’s bodies
BloomerTech
(Photo/Courtesy of BloomerTech)
Many heart diseases in women are overlooked because medical professionals do not have enough high-quality, long-term data on women’s bodies.
BloomerTech addresses this problem with a bra-based smart wearable that continuously collects cardiovascular data, including ECG signals. The device is designed to fit into everyday life, as most women already wear a bra for many hours a day.
By collecting continuous data rather than brief snapshots in a clinic, the technology is intended to help doctors identify patterns and warning signs that might otherwise be missed, especially in women whose symptoms don’t look textbook.
BloomerTech also emphasizes comprehensive data collection across different body types and skin tones, an important step toward eliminating racial disparities in diagnosis.
Currently, BloomerTech’s wearable is available for research use only and is classified as a research device under US regulations.
Step 3: Make stress tests more accurate and convenient
CardioBra
(Photo/Courtesy of CardioBra)
Stress tests are a common tool for diagnosing heart problems, but (surprisingly) they weren’t designed for women.
Many women undergoing exercise testing are asked to exercise without breast support, which can result in pain, embarrassment, or inaccurate EKG readings. Some women refuse testing altogether out of embarrassment, religious concerns, or discomfort.
CardioBra is a patent-pending medical garment designed specifically for women undergoing cardiac stress testing. It provides chest support while improving ECG lead placement and reducing motion-related signal errors.
Better signal quality means fewer false results and fewer women being told their test is inconclusive.
CardioBra is still in development and the company expects to sell the product directly to physicians and healthcare facilities rather than to consumers.
Step 4: Identify heart valve disease, which is often overlooked in women
Carefree AI health
(Photo/Courtesy of Lighthearted AI)
Women with heart valve disease are more likely than men to be misdiagnosed and are more likely to die from the condition. One reason is that traditional instruments like stethoscopes can miss subtle high-frequency signals that are more common in women.
Lighthearted AI Health has developed LightScope, a point-of-care device that uses photonics and AI to detect heart valve and vascular disease during routine vital checks.
The scan takes about 10 seconds and does not require skin contact. Importantly, the system is designed to work on all skin tones, eliminating another source of diagnostic bias.
By identifying potential problems earlier, tools like this could reduce the number of women, especially black women, who are told that nothing is wrong when something actually is.
According to Lighthearted AI Health, clinical trials are currently underway. If the technology receives regulatory approval, it could be purchased by doctors and used as part of in-office heart health screenings.
Why technical innovations are important for heart health
Technology alone will not completely close heart health disparities, but tools designed specifically for women, validated in diverse populations, and paired with supportive care models can help close long-standing gaps.
The future of women’s heart health isn’t about a single breakthrough. It’s about redesigning the entire system – risk assessment, data collection, diagnostics and care – so that women can finally be seen, heard and treated in a timely manner. And these tools are a good start.
The information about products and/or services in this column does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by HealthyWomen. The links are provided solely as a convenience and for informational purposes. This column occasionally features companies in which Brittany Barreto invests.
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