Correspondent Shim-gyo Jeong of Money Today | 2023.03.23 18:05
Acute myocardial infarction is more common in men, but in-hospital mortality and serious complications are higher in women. Nevertheless, it is known that the rate of female patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving appropriate treatment according to the guidelines is lower than that of male patients, so societal attention is needed.
Under these circumstances, the research team led by Professor Park Seong-mi (corresponding author Seong-mi Park, first author So-ri Kim) from the Department of Cardiology of Korea University Anam Hospital announced on the 23rd that they identified the differences between male and female patients in Korea from diagnosis to treatment for acute myocardial infarction. They found that female patients, who do not show typical symptoms more often than male patients and have female-specific risk factors, are less likely to diagnose and treat acute myocardial infarction than male patients.
The research team used data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to analyze the differences between men and women in patient diagnosis, intervention and drug treatment based on data from 633,000 patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction between 2003 and 2018.
As a result of the study, the diagnosis prescriptions of patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction differed significantly according to gender. During the entire study period, coronary angiography was performed in 63.2% of men and only 39.8% of women. There were 1.58 times more males. In particular, coronary angiography in male patients continued to increase, from 44.6% in 2003 to 73.6% in 2018, but in female patients, the rate of increase was relatively low, being 30.7% in 2003 and 45.7% in 2018, and the gap between men and women gradually widened.
There were significant gender differences in examination and treatment. In 2018, coronary intervention, including stenting, was performed in 85.8% of male patients, but only 77.5% of female patients. The rate of drug treatment at hospital discharge was also analysed, 87.2% of males and 79.8% of females, and beta-blockers were 69.6% of males and 62.6% of females. These results suggest that, even if other factors such as age and co-morbidity are excluded, there is a large gender gap in the diagnosis and treatment of acute myocardial infarction, and efforts are needed to close the this gap.
Professor Park Seong-mi said, “Heart disease is the second leading cause of death for men and women in Korea, and the leading cause of death for a single body organ in women. It is time to think deeply about the medical policy ,” he stressed.
In elderly and young female patients, acute myocardial infarction has a poor prognosis and often does not show typical symptoms, and the common cardiovascular risk comorbidity is higher than in male patients. Professor Park said, “There are cases with risk factors that are specific to women, so we need awareness and interest not only from patients but also medical staff.” Centered around the centre, we will focus more on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in female patients. .”
Meanwhile, the results of this study were supported by the big data research project of the Korean Society of Cardiology, and were published in the March 2023 issue of ‘Scientific Reports,’ an international academic journal at the SCI level, a sister journal of Nature, which attracted attention from domestic and foreign academic circles.
[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
