Scientists have discovered that cardiologists are less likely to prescribe effective drugs to women because of stereotypes 09:52

Scientists from Harvard Medical School found that doctors are more likely to advise women to improve their lifestyle and lose weight, and that men are prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs statins to prevent heart disease. The study is presented at the scientific meeting. congressIt is organized by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), the Asia Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC), and the ASEAN Federation of Cardiology (AFC).

The study used data from the NHANES study conducted in the United States from 2017 to 2020. The study collected data for 8512 participants aged 40 to 79. Of these, 2924 participants had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and were eligible for a statin prescription.

Analysis of the data showed that men were 20% more likely to take statins than women. Women were 27% more likely to be advised to lose weight and 38% more likely to exercise. In terms of diet, women were 27% more likely than men to be advised to reduce their salt intake and 11% more likely to be advised to reduce their fat or calorie intake. The researchers adjusted for age, cardiovascular disease risk, body mass index, presence of depression, and education level in the participants.

The authors believe that a potential reason for the inconsistencies in recommendations may be the misconception that women have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than men. The results showed that there is a need to increase the awareness of health professionals about the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, which is the same for most men and women.