One of the newly emerging themes in clinical practice is the concept of 'gender specific' medicine - the realization that the pathogenesis, etiology and progression of disease often differs between the sexes. In some instances, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are known, in others, they remain the focus of speculation. In many cases, the impact of disease and the options for management have greater importance in the female when these factors are related to reproductive health and the well-being of the women who are, or hope to be, bearing children. Cardiovascular disease is of...