Women and Heart Disease: More Work to Be Done

In recent years, in-hospital MI mortality has improved but MI incidence has risen.

During the past decade, substantial attention has been directed toward sex differences in heart disease outcomes. Two research groups report recent trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and myocardial infarction (MI) outcomes.

In the first study, investigators assessed data from more than 8000 participants (age range, 35–54) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994 and 1999–2004). Comparison of Framingham Risk Scores during the two periods showed that mean scores improved among men but worsened among women. In men, total cholesterol levels remained stable, HDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure improved, and smoking rates declined. In women, only HDL levels improved. Prevalence of diabetes rose in both sexe…

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

Women and Heart Disease: More Work to Be Done

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Reviewing Author