How Long Does the MI Gender Gap Last?

For a lifetime — although the difference in myocardial infarction rates between men and women diminishes somewhat with advancing age, according to a Norwegian study

The risk for myocardial infarction (MI) is higher in men than women. To study whether that gender gap evolves over a lifetime, researchers conducted a population-based, prospective study of nearly 34,000 people in northern Norway (51% women).

From 1979 to 2012, a first MI occurred in 2793 people (age range, 35–102), 68% of whom were men. As age increased, so did the crude incident rate of MI for both genders. After adjustment for age and birth cohort, the overall incident rate ratio (IRR) for MI was significantly higher in men than women (IRR, 2.72). In analyses adjusting for other risk factors one at a time, the MI risk estimate by gender was most influenced by HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, and daily smoking.…

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

How Long Does the MI Gender Gap Last?

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Reviewing Author