Women not given same care after heart attack - study

Women are typically older than men when diagnosed with heart disease

Women do not receive the same care as men following a heart attack, leading to "stark" consequences, new research has said.

A study from the University of Aberdeen looked specifically at the differences in the care patients received after suffering a heart attack.

It suggested that women were less likely to receive preventative medicine, which could put them at greater risk of further heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular problems.

The research comes after earlier findings by the same team found that men had a higher chance of developing and dying from heart disease than women, while women were typically older than men when diagnosed.

Preventative treatments

Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK, according to the NHS.

The university's follow-up study, led by Dr Tiberiu Pana, analysed the health records of more than 31,000 men and 15,000 women admitted to hospital between 2010 and 2016.

They looked at the treatment of those in hospital as well as the long-term treatments and outcomes of patients over a period of about eight years.

The team also investigated the medicines patients were given after a heart attack to reduce the risk of a reoccurrence or death.

The study found that women were less likely than men to receive preventative treatments, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol tablets, over the follow-up period.

Dr Pana said the trend among the general public was that the mortality rate is lower for women than men.

However, following a heart disease diagnosis, researchers said the long-term death rates for men and women levelled out as the "female survival advantage" was less noticeable in women who had suffered a heart attack.

The "female survival advantage" reflects women’s consistently reported higher life expectancy.

'Failing women'

Dr Pana said: “Our results confirm the presence of important sex differences among Scottish heart attacks patients.

“These results suggest that the long-term outcomes of women after heart attacks can and should be improved.

"The current system is failing women who consistently receive less preventative treatment than men.

“We know that this is happening and we know the consequences are stark – we now need to focus on why and what we can do about it.”

No significant differences were found between different regions of Scotland, according to the study.

However, the scientists suggested that sex differences were more pronounced in people living in areas with higher levels of multiple deprivation.

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist and the British Heart Foundation's clinical director, said more research was needed.

"Time and time again, data from large numbers of people in different countries shows that the odds of receiving medicines that can prevent another heart attack, or a future stroke appear stacked against you if you are a woman," she said.

"Solving why, by redressing system and society biases that influence this, could help more women in Scotland and other countries live in good health for longer.

"Despite being more likely to receive proven and effective heart attack treatment and prevention, men fared worse than women after their heart attack.

"We need to see more cardiovascular research to save and improve lives after heart attack for both women and men and to help stop them happening."