Women with Heart Attack, Treated Later than Men

A new study confirms that women with cardiovascular problems are not treated a quickly as men, but have to wait longer to be consulted, admitted and treated. A number of studies have recently shown that there seems to be a problem in the diagnosis and treatment in women of what is, in industrialized countries, the number one killer for both men and women.

The new study, led by Dr. Sharon O'Donnell from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, looked at 890 patients admitted to coronary care units in six of the city's teaching hospitals. All patients were admitted for emergency treatment.

The findings of the study include the fact that women were assessed, on average, 30 minutes after their arrival in the casualty departments, as compared to men, who were assessed in 20 minutes. Aspirin was given only to 92% of women, as compared to 95% of men, after an average of 55 minutes, while men received it 33 minutes, on average.

The study of the 613 men and 277 women also found that women waited for reperfusion therapy approximately 70 minutes, compared to the 52 minutes in men, and that only 35% of women actually received reperfusion therapy, compared with 43% of men.

Also, it took on average 3 hours and 56 minutes for women to be transferred to the coronary care unit from the casualty department, while men were transferred 54 minutes earlier, on average.

"This could result in women being exposed to a greater rate of life-threatening complications and less favorable outcomes than their male counterparts", Dr. O'Donnell says.

The study also included 120 nurses in the same six coronary care units, who had to complete a questionnaire for each patient admitted during the 1-year study. Researchers in Dr. O'Donnell's team concluded that better clinical awareness is needed, and that the image of the typical male heart attack victim must be corrected among healthcare staff.
The research, funded by Ireland's Health Research Board, was published in the "Journal of Advanced Nursing".

Related Discussions Heart Attack Does a Big Breakfast cause Heart Attack New Study to Predict Heart Disease in Women

Related Articles Women, Not Treated Aggressively for Acute Coronary Syndrome Women and the risks for a heart attack Young Women Miss Heart Attack Symptoms