Gender Differences in Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract

Coronary artery disease in women is associated with higher morbidity and mortality than in men. The purpose of this article is to summarize recent literature concerning gender-based differences. Specific differences in pathophysiology, traditional and psychosocial risk factors, symptom presentation, treatments, and outcomes between women and men will be reviewed.

Incidence and predictors of critical events during urgent air-medical transport

“…Evidence is growing that disparities exist between men and women in treatment, utilization of health care resources and outcomes across a wide range of diseases. [25][26][27][28][29][30] In our study, this observation may be attributable to differences between men and women in how diseases present, how they are treated and patterns of referral and transport-related requests. Systemic biases during assignment of transports could lead to delayed transport of women, with resulting physiologic instability and a higher risk of critical events.…”

Symptoms and problems with functioning among women and men with inoperable lung cancer—A longitudinal study

“…Bias toward the inclusion of men in research studies often leads to limited generalizability of findings [22]. Other research, such as that on cardiovascular diseases, indicates that symptomatology is not always similar for women and men, and that lack of knowledge about differences in symptom experiences between them may hinder appropriate action from the health care system [23].…”

Life With and Without Heart Disease Among Women and Men Over 50

“…The fact that women are older at heart attack could be a factor in the different treatment that men and women receive upon hospital admission (Clarke et al, 1994;Eastwood & Doering, 2005;Fuchs, 1999).…”

“…For this reason, many Americans do not perceive heart disease as a woman's health issue although estimates indicate that from 40 to 50 percent of postmenopausal women will develop heart disease (Col et al, 1997;Lloyd-Jones et al, 2006). There is also evidence that women have heart attacks 5 to 10 years older than men, that women who have a heart attack have more confounding health problems, and that women who are hospitalized after a heart attack are less likely to receive certain types of drugs and diagnostic and treatment procedures (Clarke, Gray, Keating & Hampton, 1994;Eastwood & Doering, 2005;Fuchs, 1999). Controversy continues about whether sex differences occur in initial hospital survival and long-term survival after a heart attack (Coronado, Griffith, Beshansky & Selker, 1997;Maynard, Every, Martin, Kudenchuk & Weaver, 1997;Vaccarino, Krumholz, Yarzebski, Gore & Goldberg, 2001;Vaccarino, Parsons, Every, Barron & Krumholz, 1999).…”