%0 Journal Article
%T Is there a clinically significant gender bias in post-myocardial infarction pharmacological management in the older (>60) population of a primary care practice?
%A Romolo Di Cecco
%A Umesh Patel
%A Ross EG Upshur
%J BMC Family Practice
%D 2002
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2296-3-8
%X A comprehensive chart audit was conducted of 142 men and 81 women in an academic primary care practice. Variables were extracted on demographic variables, cardiovascular risk factors, medical and non-medical management of myocardial infarction.Women were older than men. The groups were comparable in terms of cardiac risk factors. A statistically significant difference (14.6%: 95% CI 0.048¨C28.7 p = 0.047) was found between men and women for the prescription of lipid lowering medications. 25.3% (p = 0.0005, CI 11.45, 39.65) more men than women had undergone angiography, and 14.4 % (p = 0.029, CI 2.2, 26.6) more men than women had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Women are less likely than men to receive lipid-lowering medication which may indicate less aggressive secondary prevention in the primary care setting.In the last decade, cardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death in women. [1] Concerns have been raised about gender differences in both outcomes and in access to medical care for cardiovascular disease.[2] Gender differences have been documented in care sought for myocardial infarction. Women are more likely to receive in-hospital care from primary care physicians rather than cardiologists. Patients admitted by cardiologists have a significantly better survival rate than those admitted by primary care physicians.[3,4]Studies looking at the use of thrombolytic agents show that they are consistently underused in eligible women compared to men.[5] Beta-blockers and Aspirin are under-prescribed in females who are post-MI.[6,7]Most investigations into gender differences in post-MI pharmacological management originate from specialist care. Until recently there was little published data regarding post-MI pharmacological management in primary care. A study in a primary care setting revealed that women were twice as likely to have a diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, yet a higher percentage of men were on lipid-lowering agents.[8]This study als
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/3/8