Researchers at Garcia de Orta Hospital in Portugal report a notable gender gap in mortality following a heart attack. In an analysis shared at a European Society of Cardiology conference, women faced nearly double the risk of death compared with men. The study underscores a persistent pattern where female patients experience higher early and long-term mortality after a myocardial infarction, even when contemporary interventional therapies are used.
The investigation included about 900 patients admitted with myocardial infarction who received percutaneous coronary intervention to restore blood flow and relieve vessel blockage. On average, women were older than men at the time of admission, with a mean age around 67 for women versus 60 for men. Women also carried a higher burden of associated conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and a prior stroke, which collectively can complicate recovery and prognosis.
Short-term outcomes showed a clear disparity: after 30 days, mortality was 11.8% among women compared with 4.6% among men. Extending the follow-up to five years, the mortality rate rose to 32.1% for women versus 16.9% for men. These figures point to a substantial gender-related difference in the trajectory after a heart attack, despite many patients receiving the same interventional treatment.
Researchers noted that even after adjusting for other variables and aligning treatment with that given to men, women were two to three times more likely to experience poorer short- and long-term outcomes after a myocardial infarction. This discrepancy extends beyond the acute phase and suggests intricate interactions between biology, symptom presentation, and disease management that warrant closer attention.
Experts propose that genetic predisposition might contribute to the observed differences in risk and outcomes. In addition, variations in how heart attack symptoms present in women compared with men could lead to delays in recognition and treatment, potentially affecting survival and recovery. The study team carefully accounted for several confounding factors that could influence the relationship between sex and mortality, including diabetes status, lipid levels, blood pressure control, coronary artery disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, peripheral artery disease, and stroke history. By adjusting for these factors, the researchers aimed to isolate the impact of sex on prognosis after myocardial infarction and to identify areas where clinical practice could improve outcomes for women.
Overall, the findings highlight the need for heightened awareness of sex-specific risk in heart attack management. They invite ongoing research into diagnostic approaches and treatment strategies that better address how women experience and recover from myocardial infarction. The study contributes to a growing body of evidence that gender differences in cardiovascular disease are real and clinically important, guiding clinicians toward more nuanced risk assessment, timely intervention, and comprehensive follow-up care for female patients after a cardiac event.
In reporting these results, the researchers emphasized continuing to examine all contributing factors that might influence outcomes after a heart attack. The goal is to ensure that women receive optimal care, from rapid diagnosis and reperfusion therapy to secondary prevention and rehabilitation, ultimately reducing the persistent gap in survival and function between the sexes after myocardial infarction. The findings reinforce the message that heart disease affects women differently and that medical systems should reflect those differences in both acute management and long-term care. Attribution: Garcia de Orta Hospital study presented at a European cardiology conference.