Research presented at the Heart Failure 2023 Congress highlights a significant gender disparity in outcomes following heart attacks. Conducted by Dr. Mariana Martinho, the study focused on patients treated for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between 2010 and 2015, revealing that women are over twice as likely to die after a heart attack compared to their male counterparts. This increased risk persists even after adjusting for other health factors, with nearly one-third of women dying within five years of the event.
The study analyzed 884 patients, noting that women were older and had higher rates of medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Although treatment times were similar between the sexes, younger women faced longer delays in care. The results showed that 30-day mortality was approximately 11.8% for women compared to 4.6% for men, with five-year mortality rates at 32.1% for women versus 16.9% for men.
Dr. Martinho emphasized the need for heightened awareness of heart disease risks in women, particularly postmenopausal women, and the importance of ongoing monitoring and prevention strategies. The findings underscore the necessity to conduct further research to unravel the causes of this disparity in cardiovascular outcomes between genders.
