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Women heart patients 'failed' by systemDate: 15/11/2007 09:40:39
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Women who are admitted to hospital with heart failure are less likely to receive the recommended treatment than men, British researchers have claimed.
A report in the journal Heart, based on a survey of nearly 10,000 patients, shows that although improvements have been made in the management of heart failure, women are still being poorly managed.
Women were found to be significantly less likely to have received the recommended heart failure treatment and to have undergone investigations such as ultrasound scans.
They were also less likely to have been given medication to prevent worsening of their symptoms after leaving hospital.
According to the researchers, a "significant and sustained" effort is needed to deal with the gender inequalities in heart care in acute hospitals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
They concluded: "Whereas [heart attack], angina and arrhythmia services have clearly defined targets and have been the focus for sustained investment, heart failure still appears to be regarded as a Cinderella subspecialty, despite its ubiquitous nature."
"Women tend to develop heart failure later than men, which may explain why their passage through the health service is different," Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, told the BBC.
"However, medical decisions based primarily on gender or age and not on clinical effectiveness have no place in a 21st century NHS," he added.
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