A
new study of United States hospitals reveals that when woman are hospitalized
with massive heart attacks they are likelier to die over men similarly
hospitalized, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The AP said that, generally,
although women seem to survive heart attacks at the same rate as men when they
are hospitalized, it is when women suffer massive heart attacks that the gap
presents itself and women are likelier to die. The AP also noted that women may
be under-treated, receiving recommended medications and procedures either less
than men or later than men in similar, massive, cardiac emergencies.
“We’re doing better but not good enough for women,” Dr. Hani Jneid, lead author
of the study from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told the AP. Jneid
said, noted the AP, that the research team could not say if treatment decisions
were or were not appropriate for patients. CTV.ca (Canada TV) said the study
looked at over 78,000 heart attack victims and was conducted by a team from
institutes nationwide. The study revealed, said CTV that female death rates for
ST elevation myocardial infarction—known as STEMI and known to cause more heart
damage than other heart attacks—were 10.2, while men experienced a rate of 5.5.
News-Medical.net explained that women hospitalized with STEMI were about twice
as likely to die in the first 24 hours of hospitalization over men.
Dr. Laura Wexler of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, another
researcher involved in the study said that even though heart disease is the
leading cause of death in women, it is still thought of as being a man’s
disease. “It’s very important for the public—women and the people who love
them—to get over the idea that it’s not a disease of women,” Wexler said to the
AP. “However, the finding of persistently higher death rates among women
experiencing the more severe type of heart attack (STEMI) and the persistent
gender gap in certain aspects of care underscore the existing opportunities to
enhance post-heart attack care among women,” Jneid said, according to News-Medical.net.
CTV also reported that the study revealed that much of the recommended
treatments following heart attack that were not given or were given later to
women included administration of Aspirin; women were 14 percent less likely to
receive Aspirin compared to men. Also, women were 10 percent less likely to
receive beta blockers, 25 percent less likely to receive reperfusion therapy,
and 22 percent less likely to receive speedy angioplasty, noted CTV, which
explained that Aspirin is used to prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of a
repeat heart attack, beta blockers restore regular heart rhythms, reperfusion
therapy restores blood flow, and angioplasty opens blocked arteries.
News-Medical.net reported that the study results were reported in Circulation:
Journal of the American Heart Association and that the research team looked at
information derived from the American Heart Association’s “Get With The
Guidelines” (GWTG) program. The team reviewed patient outcomes from 420
hospitals between 2001 and 2006, News-Medical said.
