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Cardiovascular disease mortality in women is rising at a
disproportionate rate compared to men.
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(Every year since 1984, Cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of more women than men and the gap continues to increase) |
Gender biases in Cardiovascular disease testing and
treatment may contribute to increased morbidity and
mortality.
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(Biases may be exacerbated by under representation of women in clinical studies) |
Despite national campaigns & media attention, disparities
in care delivery continue.
Leading heart centers in 2004 do not show improvements
in women who gain access to necessary cardiovascular
procedures, compared to the most recent CDC
National Discharge Survey.
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Cardiovascular research over the last 10 years has dentified
striking differences in certain manifestations of
the disease process when analyzed by gender.
Heart Failure -
The expanding national burden of heart failure in the
United States is substantially influenced by increased hospitalization rates for women.
(AHJ 2004;147:74-8)
Arrhythmias -
10 and 20 year survival of women after pacemaker insertion
is significantly greater than men regardless of
the index arrhythmia
( EHJ 2004;25:88-95)
Coronary Heart Disease -
Although the relative benefit of direct PTCA to t-PA for
the treatment of an acute MI appears to be similar in
women and men, women may derive a larger absolute
benefit from direct PTCA
(AHJ 2004;147:113-9)
Peripheral Arterial Disease -
Prevalence of peripheral arterial disease is similar in women and men, and women may have more asymptomatic
disease. Women with PAD have 2-4 fold increases
in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality
(J Epidemiology 2003;13:1-14)
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