Three new studies presented last week at the World Congress of Cardiology indicate that men with acute coronary syndrome receive better care than women.
A CREATE study based in India showed that fewer women are admitted to the hospital than men. The women who were admitted were older, had increased risk factors, got to the hospital later, and had worse outcomes. A BRIG study in China found that a substantial portion of women with ACS did not get proper treatment compared to men when they were hospitalized. A third study conducted in the Middle East found that women were admitted later than men and had more secondary or tertiary conditions, though that did not affect patient mortality.
"These three studies paint a consistent picture around the world and all serve to demonstrate that women with ACS are unfortunately not receiving the same treatment as men," said Prof. Sidney C. Smith Jr., M.D., president of the World Heart Federation. "This is something that has to be addressed as a matter of urgency."
Cardiovascular disease remains the biggest killer of women, triggering 8.6 million deaths annually. Women in industrialized countries are less likely than those in low and middle income countries to die from CVD. Despite the statistics, women are more threatened by cancer than CVD.
