Mortality from cardiovascular causes is higher among women compared to mencausing approximately 45% of deaths in the female population, surpassing cancer mortality in the 57 member countries of the European Society of Cardiology.
According to a study presented at the Preventive Cardiology Congress ESC 2024, held under the auspices of the European Society of Cardiology, the researchers concluded that women diagnosed with heart disease are less likely to receive drugs aimed at lowering blood cholesterol levels compared to men.
The authors of the study, from the University of Uppsala, Sweden, pointed out the importance of cholesterol-lowering drugs in the treatment of coronary heart disease, stating that these drugs save lives by preventing heart attacks. The ESC guidelines recommend statin treatment to achieve an optimal cholesterol level. If the therapeutic target is not reached with the maximum tolerated dose of statins, then another cholesterol-lowering agent, such as ezetimibe, can be added to the therapeutic regimen. The recommendations are the same regardless of gender.
Previous studies have shown that women are less likely to reach LDL cholesterol targets despite recommendations.
“Our findings should be a wake-up call about the undertreatment of women with heart disease. Equitable prescribing practices are needed so that women receive all recommended therapies and are protected from adverse outcomes,” Dr. Johnson said in an article published in the European Society of Cardiology.
The retrospective observational study included 1,037 men and 415 women, diagnosed with chronic coronary syndrome between 2012 and 2020, who had no history of heart attacks. The average age was 68 years for men and 70 years for women. The patients were then followed for 3 years after diagnosis, with the finding that only 54% of the women included in the study received treatment with cholesterol-lowering drugs, compared to 74% of the men. Moreover, only 5% of women received combination therapy (statin plus ezetimibe) versus 8% of men.
The researchers also noted that the frequency of prescription of cholesterol-lowering medication was highest at the time of diagnosis, then decreased significantly over the next three years, especially among women (52% vs. 78% in men).
The researchers recommend that serum cholesterol-lowering drugs be prescribed to all people diagnosed with coronary artery disease, regardless of gender and age at diagnosis, with the therapeutic regimen adjusted according to response.
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Tags: ESCPrev2024 Women cardiovascular disease receive optimal treatment recommended guidelines cholesterol
