Profile photo Hester den Ruijter

Hester den Ruijter

Full Professor

Strategic program(s):

Biography

Welcome to my page. Let me introduce myself, I am Hester den Ruijter, Professor of Cardiovascular disease in women. My aim is to translate knowledge from experimental research to the patient. In women, the diagnosis of heart disease is a problem. Most available diagnostics for heart disease have been tested in men and directly translated to women. Nowadays we are increasingly becoming aware that male-derived tests do not always detect heart disease in women. There are interesting sex differences in the pathophysiology of heart disease that may explain why diagnostic tests developed in men fail to detect heart disease in women. Therefore, my goal is to obtain novel biomarkers that facilitate the diagnosis of heart disease in women. If you have any questions regarding my research, you are welcome to contact me.

Research groups

Cardiovascular disease in women

Research aim

Our group's aim is to translate knowledge from experimental cardiovascular research to improve womens's cardiovascular health.

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Recent publications

Ischemia during exercise stress testing, an indication of coronary vasomotor dysfunction? Diantha J.M. Schipaanboord, Tijn P.J. Jansen, Luuk Scherpenhuijzen, Caïa Crooijmans, Aukelien C. Dimitriu-Leen, Pim van der Harst, Tim P. van de Hoef, René van Es, Hester M. den Ruijter, Peter Damman, N. Charlotte Onland-Moret, Suzette E. Elias-Smale
IJC Heart and Vasculature, 2025, vol. 56
Angina Severity and Symptom Improvement Are Associated With Diagnostic Acetylcholine Provocation Dose in Vasospastic Angina C. Crooijmans, Tijn P.J. Jansen, Joan G. Meeder, Valeria Paradies, Annemiek M.J. de Vos, Pier Woudstra, Tessel N.E. Vossenberg, Tim P. van de Hoef, Nicola S. Vos, Els G.M. Olde Bijvank, Stijn C.H. van den Oord, Patty Winkler, Martijn Meuwissen, Jos W.M.G. Widdershoven, E. Karin Arkenbout, Martin G. Stoel, Yolande Appelman, Marcel A.M. Beijk, Aysun Cetinyurek-Yavuz, Hester M. den Ruijter, Suzette E. Elias-Smale, Niels van Royen, Aukelien C. Dimitriu-Leen, Peter Damman,
Journal of the American Heart Association, 2025, vol. 14
Are dizziness/lightheadedness helpful symptoms for telephone triage of females and males calling the out-of-hours service for acute chest discomfort? Anna S M Dobbe, Dorien L Zwart, Laurens van der Hem, D Carmen Erkelens, Loes T C M Wouters, Sander van Doorn, Hester M den Ruijter, Frans H Rutten,
BMJ Open, 2025, vol. 15
Atherosclerotic Plaque Epigenetic Age Acceleration Predicts a Poor Prognosis and Is Associated With Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Humans Ernest Diez Benavente, Robin J G Hartman, Tim R Sakkers, Marian Wesseling, Yannicke Sloots, Lotte Slenders, Arjan Boltjes, Barend M Mol, Gert J de Borst, Dominique P V de Kleijn, Koen H M Prange, Menno P J de Winther, Johan Kuiper, Mete Civelek, Sander W van der Laan, Steve Horvath, Charlotte Onland-Moret, Michal Mokry, Gerard Pasterkamp, Hester M den Ruijter
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2024, vol. 44, p.1419-1431
Diabetes and risk of acute coronary syndrome in callers with chest discomfort Michelle Spek, Daphne C A Erkelens, Coralie van Het Goor-van Wezep, Maarten van Smeden, Hester M Den Ruijter, Loes T C M Wouters, Roderick P Venekamp, Frans H Rutten, Dorien L Zwart
Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 2024, vol. 212
Burden of risk factors in women and men with unrecognized myocardial infarction Julie A.E. van Oortmerssen, Noluthando Ntlapo, Martijn J. Tilly, Wichor M. Bramer, Hester M. den Ruijter, Eric Boersma, Maryam Kavousi, Jeanine E. Roeters van Lennep,
Cardiovascular research, 2024, vol. 120, p.1683-1692

Fellowships & Awards

Agnites Vrolikprijs award for research impact UU (2019)

AHA Scott Grundy Award for Excellence in Metabolism Research (2010)

External positions

Panel member - Review van aanvragen - Lundbeckfonden

Pijlervoorzitter DCVA wetenschapsbeleid - Opstarten en begeleiden verkenningen en projecten DCVA - DCVA

Commissielid - vanuit expertise - Hartstichting

Raad van toezicht - geen - Stichting LEEFH