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Women have a higher risk of death after a heart attack than men

Women have a 20% higher risk of death or heart failure after a heart attack than men, a new study published in Circulation has shown.

Scientists note that survival after myocardial infarction has improved over the past decades. However, due to the fact that people have become more likely to survive after a heart attack, the number of patients with heart failure, its consequence, has increased. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart muscle cannot pump the required volume of blood.

Previous studies on the difference in the likelihood of survival after a myocardial infarction between men and women have produced mixed results. Some of them pointed to this difference, some demonstrated its decrease, and some attributed these differences to flaws in the study. The risk of heart failure has not typically been the focus of such studies.

New findings

Scientists conducted a new study to clarify the differences in the risk of death and heart failure after a heart attack in men and women. They analyzed data on more than 45 thousand patients hospitalized for a first myocardial infarction in Alberta, Canada. Patients were followed for an average of six years. The study focused on two types of heart attack: with and without ST-segment elevation. The first type of heart attack is more severe and indicates complete blockage of the branch of the coronary artery that supplies a specific area of ​​the heart muscle.

Scientists found that over a five-year period, women had a higher risk of heart failure after both types of heart attack. Women were more likely to die after an ST-segment elevation heart attack.

Women need more attention

Women were on average 10 years older than men at the time of their first heart attack. Their average age was 72 years, the average age of men was 61 years. In addition, women generally had more comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Scientists indicate that this could be a risk factor for heart failure.

At the same time, scientists found that women received less specialized medical care. In the hospital, they were visited less often than men by a cardiologist, and they were less likely to be prescribed medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They were less likely to undergo surgery to restore blood flow to the coronary arteries (angioplasty).

Scientists say these data show that women who have had a myocardial infarction need more effective prevention of heart failure. In their opinion, prescribing adequate therapy (to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels), increasing physical activity, a healthy diet, and quitting smoking could save thousands of lives.

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