Research analysed differences in treatment and survival between women and men with a heart attack and cardiogenic shock
Women are less likely to receive lifesaving treatment for cardiogenic shock than men, according to research presented at a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Acute CardioVascular Care 2022.
The aim of the research was to analyse differences in treatment and survival between women and men with a heart attack and cardiogenic shock. The study included all consecutive adults admitted – between 2010 and 2017 – to two highly specialised centres providing cardiogenic shock-care for two-thirds of the Danish population.
A total of 1,716 heart attack patients with cardiogenic shock were enrolled in the study, of which 438 (26%) were women. The average age of the women was 71 years and 66 years for men. Pulmonary characteristics were similar between sexes, except for hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which were more common among women.
Women were significantly more likely than men to be initially admitted to a local hospital – 41% women, compared to 30% men. Meanwhile, more men presented with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – 25% women versus 48% men.
Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition, where the heart suddenly fails to pump enough blood to supply the body’s organs with sufficient oxygen, typically caused by a significant heart attack. It is estimated that up to 10% of patients with heart attacks affecting a large area of the heart also develop cardiogenic shock. Alarmingly, only half of patients who experience cardiogenic shock will survive.
Dr Sarah Holle of Copenhagen University Hospital commented on the data: “There is increasing evidence that women with acute heart problems are more likely than men to have non-specific symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, coughing, fatigue, and pain in the back, jaw or neck.
“This might be one reason why more women than men in our study were initially admitted to a local, rather than specialist, hospital. Increased recognition that women may have symptoms other than chest pain could minimise delays in diagnosis and treatment and potentially improve prognosis.”
“Treatment guidelines are based on studies which primarily enrolled men. Further research is needed to determine whether women and men with cardiogenic shock might benefit from different interventions,” she added.
