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The research, funded in part by the British Heart Foundation and published in the journal Heart, found that women were less likely than men to receive referral care for heart attacks.
Scientists from the University of Leeds discovered that in the UK, the median death rate for women was more than double that of men in the 30 days that followed a heart attack. Their results revealed that 5.2% of women died during the same period after a heart attack, compared to only 2.3% of men, which represents a relative risk of death twice as high.
"We know women are dying of heart attacks – and we have identified the gaps we need to target to save lives," said Chris Gales, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Leeds. and lead author of the report. .
"We need to combat the false perception that heart attacks are only a male health problem," said Nilesh Samani, medical director of the British Heart Foundation. "This results in inadequate care for women – both at the time of heart attacks and after – with fatal consequences."
The study figures reveal that about 70,000 women go to hospital each year in the UK with a heart attack; up to 25,000 of them die.
The researchers estimated that 8,243 deaths between 2003 and 2013 could have been avoided in England and Wales if women had received the same care as men.
However, they noted that the actual number of lives lost due to unequal care was probably much higher, since the study did not include all heart attacks in the UK during the course of the year. study period of 10 years.
In regards to the cause of the disparity, Gales said that women often did not receive coronary angiography – video images revealing narrowing or coronary artery obstructions – as soon as they arrived at the clinic. hospital, which put them from the outset at a disadvantage. He added that such delays have "repercussions", which can create other "shortfalls down the line".
"Taken in isolation, the differences may seem small, but even in a high-performance health system like the UK, small deficits in the care of a population add up to reveal a much bigger problem and loss of life, "he added.
The study also found that women with myocardial infarction without ST elevation – a type of heart attack that tends to affect older people and carries greater risks – were 34% less likely to receive timely coronary angiography within 72 hours of birth. first symptoms.
And women with myocardial infarction with ST elevation – a type of very serious heart attack in which the coronary artery is completely blocked – had 2.74% less chance of receiving essential treatments, including access to drugs and stents.
Dr. Zachary Whinnett, consulting cardiologist at Imperial College London, is pleased with the findings of this study. According to him, ensuring that women receive proper treatment will likely lead to improved survival rates.
"Currently, a woman with a heart attack has a higher risk of death than if she were a man.This study showed that differences in treatment could contribute to this increased risk," he said. .
"Although additional research is needed, this is potentially an important finding as it suggests that the higher risk for women may not be due solely to biological differences between men and women. A heart attack receive the appropriate treatment without delay likely to lead to improved survival ".
Researchers at the University of Leeds have developed their findings using data from the UK National Registry of Heart Attacks to evaluate the treatment and outcomes of 691,290 hospitalized patients for heart attacks in England and Wales between 2003 and 2003. and 2013.
The study, however, did not include all admissions to the hospital during the 10-year period. Women, on average, were also older when admitted to the hospital and were more likely to have other diseases, including diabetes and hypertension.
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