The Patient Summit 2014

Jun 17, 2014 - Jun 18, 2014, London

An integrated approach to patient-centric outcomes

Women Neglected in Preventative CAD Treatment, Despite it Killing as Many Women as Men

Women are less likely to receive preventative recommendations for coronary artery disease (CAD) despite being as or more susceptible to death men with a similar risk, states the World Heart Federation journal.



Traditionally, the burden of CAD for women has been underplayed due to the higher rates of the disease for younger men. This has resulted in women being less likely to receive preventative advice for CAD which could involve lipid-lowering therapy or lifestyle suggestions.  This paper from the ‘Global Heart’ journal aims to change that way of thinking as it demonstrates that CAD risks develop differently in women than men which could increase their risk of death.

For instance, obesity enhances the risk of CAD in women by 64%, as compared with 46% for men. This means that women who suffer from a CAD-related heart attack before the age of 50 are twice as susceptible to death as men with a similar condition. All in all, 42% of women with this type of heart attack die within a year as compared to 24% of men with a similar risk.

This paper also suggests that a woman has a bigger risk of developing CAD than her male counterpart if she has a first degree relative with the condition. Similarly, diabetes increases a woman’s risk of developing CAD by 3- 7 times as compared with a man’s lower risk of 2 – 3 times. Women who cannot carry out basic fitness tests are also 3 times more likely to develop CAD than fitter women. Additionally, autoimmune diseases, which are more common in women than men, like gestational diabetes will increase the likelihood of developing CAD.

On a global scale, 8.6 million women die from cardiovascular diseases (CVD, which includes CAD) each year, representing a third of all deaths in women. CVD is still the biggest cause of deaths worldwide and analysts have predicted that the number of CVD deaths will rise to 23.3 million by 2030. In 2009, 54% of women were aware that the leading cause of death is CAD as compared with only 30% in 1997. However, previous studies have demonstrated that women are still 55% less likely than men to participate in cardiac rehabilitation which would lessen the risk of CAD.

To conclude their analysis of CAD in women, the authors of this study said, “Women are affected by CAD in large numbers and to a large degree. CAD is the leading cause of mortality in women. The manifestation of CAD has unique characteristics in women. Increasing data demonstrate that some treatment strategies have sex-specific effectiveness. Further research regarding the pathophysiology of CAD in women, diagnosis, and treatment strategies specific to women is required. CAD is not a 'man's only' disease, and we eagerly await future studies that examine its unique presence inwomen.”



The Patient Summit 2014

Jun 17, 2014 - Jun 18, 2014, London

An integrated approach to patient-centric outcomes