Health: Women are 20% more likely to die within five years of their first heart attack



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Women are 20% more likely to die within five years of their first heart attack than men, study warns

  • Canadian researchers studied 45,064 patients admitted to hospital after a heart attack
  • They monitored each subject for an average of about six years after the event
  • The team found that women typically received poorer treatment than men
  • This includes fewer surgeries, specialist consultations, and written prescriptions

Women are 20 percent more likely to die in the first five years after their first heart attack than men, a study concluded.

Canadian researchers studied 45,064 Canadian patients who had been hospitalized after their first heart attack, monitoring each for about six years.

The team found that women received poorer treatment on average than men, with fewer surgeries performed, specialist consultations, and medications prescribed.

Women are 20 percent more likely to die in the first five years after their first heart attack than men, a study concluded.  In the photo, a woman suffering from chest pains (stock image)

Women are 20 percent more likely to die in the first five years after their first heart attack than men, a study concluded. In the photo, a woman suffering from chest pains (stock image)

Heart attacks come in two forms: a life-threatening form called ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI, and a less severe version called non-STEMI, which is more common.

In their study, the team found that the development of heart failure after a STEMI or a non-STEMI – both in the hospital and after discharge – remains higher for women than for men.

Notably, women were 9.4% more likely to die in hospital following STEMI and 4.5% after non-STEMI, compared with 4.7% and 2.9%, respectively. , some men.

On average, women in the cohort studied were just over 10 years older than men – with an average age of 72, compared to 61 – and were more likely to have other health problems.

These included conditions such as atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and hypertension.

Despite these growing health problems, only 72.8% of women have been seen by a cardiovascular specialist, compared to 84% of men.

“Identifying when and how women may be at increased risk for heart failure after a heart attack can help practitioners develop more effective prevention approaches,” said article author and cardiologist Justin Ezekowitz of the University of London. Alberta.

“Better adherence to lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure, getting more exercise, eating a healthy diet and quitting smoking, combined with recognizing these problems early in life, would save thousands of lives.”

The same advice would also apply to men, he added.

“Close enough is not good enough. There are gaps in diagnosis, access, quality of care and follow-up for all patients, ”said cardiologist Padma Kaul of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

“We need to be vigilant, pay attention to our own prejudices and to those that are most vulnerable to make sure we have done everything possible to provide the best treatment,” added Dr. Kaul.

The full results of the study were published in the journal Circulation.

WHAT IS A HEART ATTACK?

The figures suggest that there are 200,000 hospital visits due to heart attacks in the UK each year, while there are around 800,000 a year in the US.

A heart attack, known medically as a myocardial infarction, occurs when the blood supply to the heart is suddenly blocked.

Symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, and a feeling of weakness and anxiety.

Heart attacks are commonly caused by coronary artery disease, which can be caused by smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Treatment is usually medication to dissolve the clots of spots or surgery to remove the blockage.

Reduce your risk by avoiding smoking, exercising regularly, and drinking in moderation.

Heart attacks are different from cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body, usually due to a problem with the electrical signals in the organ.

Source: NHS Choices

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