Different approach in high-cardiovascular-risk women, compared to men:: a multidisciplinary study-Spain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is a broad range of cardiovascular high-risk patients, who might benefit from general and pharmacological interventions. The aim of the study was to evaluate the differences in the characteristics of CV risk in women with respect to men, and if there are differences in the treatment between men and women. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We collected the data from CV high-risk patients from Cardiology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Endocrinology and Primary Care. We considered high-risk patients those with coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes plus one or more additional risk factor. Parameters recorded were age, gender, glucose, glycated haemoglobin, blood pressure, smoking habit, lipid profile, microalbuminuria, and pharmacological treatment. We performed an age-adjusted, multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Out of 5,207 patients, 1,307 were considered as high risk (56.1% men and 43.9% women). The median age was 67.3 years (66.1 y men, 68.8 y women). In the coronary heart disease group, women received less antiplatelet therapy (69.4% vs 80.4%; OR = 1.592) and less cholesterol-lowering agents (despite higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, 52.8% vs 39.1%). In diabetics patients with additional risk factors, women received less antiplatelet therapy (42.9% vs 36.6%, OR = 1.486) and lipid-lowering therapy (53.5% vs 41.4%), and more diuretics (41.4% vs 26.5%; OR = 0.588). CONCLUSIONS: There is a different profile of CV risk in women, with more diabetes and less smoking habit. In this study, a trend to less treat high-risk women with respect to high-risk men is observed.