A recent study reveals that women have double the risk of mortality after a heart attack relative to men. The research highlights that women with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe type of heart attack caused by a total blockage of the coronary artery, experience worse outcomes while hospitalized than men. This difference is attributed to factors such as women having heart attacks at an advanced age, having more concurrent health conditions, and fewer women receiving stent procedures to clear blocked arteries.
Women are at a heightened risk of heart attack episodes than men
A study compared the effects of STEMI on pre and postmenopausal women. Patients with STEMI were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 48 hours of symptom onset between 2010 and 2015. The study measured mortality at 30 days and five years after treatment, as well as the occurrence of another cardiovascular event within five years.
Dr. Mariana Martinho from Hospital Garcia de Orta in Almada, Portugal, emphasizes that women who undergo a myocardial infarction face a heightened risk of an unfavorable prognosis regardless of age. In a media release, Dr. Martinho highlighted the importance of ongoing monitoring, strict management of cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and diabetes, as well as the recommendation for cardiac rehabilitation for these women.
In the study involving 884 patients, the average age was 62, with women comprising 27% of the participants. Women exhibited higher mortality rates after 30 days and five years following a heart attack and a greater occurrence of major cardiovascular events within five years.
Postmenopausal women experience worse outcomes following a heart attack
Dr. Martinho emphasized that even after considering other conditions and receiving the same treatment as men, women still had a two to three times higher chance of experiencing negative outcomes in the short and long term.
According to Dr. Martinho, postmenopausal women experience more adverse outcomes following a heart attack compared to men of similar age. Additionally, premenopausal women have comparable short-term mortality rates but face a less favorable long-term prognosis compared to men.
