Acute myocardial infarction in women: Contribution of treatment variables to adverse outcome

• Published in: The American heart journal 2000-11, Vol.140 (5), p.740-746
• Main Authors: Barakat, Khalid, Wilkinson, Paul, Suliman, Abdul, Ranjadayalan, Kulasegaram, Timmis, Adam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - therapeutic use; Aged; Aspirin - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Coronary heart disease; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Fibrinolytic Agents - administration & dosage; Heart; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - complications; Myocardial Infarction - drug therapy; Myocardial Infarction - mortality; Myocardial Infarction - therapy; Odds Ratio; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Risk; Risk Factors; Survival Analysis; Time Factors; Treatment Failure; Treatment Outcome; United Kingdom - epidemiology; Ventricular Dysfunction - etiology; Ventricular Dysfunction - prevention & control; Women's Health
• ISSN: 0002-8703; 1097-6744
• DOI: 10.1067/mhj.2000.110089

Background Women have excessive mortality rates after acute myocardial infarction compared with men. The extent to which this increased risk can be attributed to differences in treatment is not well-understood. Methods This was an observational follow-up study of 1737 patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction for coronary care between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 1997. Results Compared with men, women took longer to arrive at the hospital (132.5 minutes [range 76 to 291 minutes] vs 120 minutes [range 60 to 240 minutes]; P =.006), were less likely to receive aspirin acutely (87.8% vs 91.3%; P =.03), had longer door-to-needle times (90 minutes [range 60 to 143.5 minutes] vs 78 minutes [range 50 to 131 minutes]; P =.004), and were less likely to be given β-blockers at hospital discharge (31.6% vs 44.9%; P