© 2004 European Society of Cardiology
The ‘real’ woman with heart failure. Impact of sex on current in-hospital management of heart failure by cardiologists and internists
a Department of Cardiology, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation Pavia, Italy
b Department of Internal Medicine, SS. Giovanni e Paolo Hospital Venice, Italy
c Department of Internal Medicine, Loreto Mare Hospital Naples, Italy
d Department of Cardiology, Maggiore Hospital Trieste, Italy
e Department of Cardiology, Piemonte Hospital Messina, Italy
f Department of Internal Medicine, Leonardi-Riboli Hospital Lavagna, Genoa, Italy
g Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO) Research Center, Via La Marmora 34-50121, Firenze, Italy
h Department of Internal Medicine, Ospedale Generale Provinciale Bolzano, Italy
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-055-5001703; fax: +39-055-583400.. E-mail address: centro_studi{at}anmco.it
 |
Abstract |
|---|
Aim: To identify differences between sexes in the clinical profile, use of resources, management and outcome in a large population of ‘real world’ patients with heart failure (HF).
Methods: A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted on 2127 consecutive patients (47% women) admitted with HF to 167 cardiology and 250 internal medicine departments between February 14 and 25, 2000.
Results: Women were older, had a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation, and more frequently a hypertensive or valvular aetiology. Females were admitted more frequently in Medical than in Cardiology Departments. The rate of invasive and non-invasive procedures was lower in women than in men, slightly higher if managed by cardiologists. Women were less frequently prescribed ACE-inhibitors, amiodarone, and spironolactone, and more frequently prescribed digoxin. In-hospital mortality was similar, without difference between health-care providers. A 6-month follow-up was performed in 56.4% of the cases in both setting, but less frequently in women. Event rates were similar with nearly half of patients re-hospitalised at least once.
Conclusion: The ‘real’ HF woman has generally a more severe disease; she is an old lady who is more frequently hospitalised in a medical unit, receives few diagnostic, and cardiovascular procedures and pharmacological therapy, has a relatively low probability of dying in hospital, but a high likelihood of requiring readmission.
Key Words: Heart failure • Women • Management • Prognosis
Received November 20, 2002; Revised June 23, 2003; Accepted November 13, 2003
On behalf of the TEMISTOCLE investigators. The complete list of TEMISTOCLE Investigators and participating centres is reported in Appendix A.
1 Present address: Papardo Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Messina, Italy.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. S. Ross, G. K. Mulvey, B. Stauffer, V. Patlolla, S. M. Bernheim, P. S. Keenan, and H. M. Krumholz Statistical Models and Patient Predictors of Readmission for Heart Failure: A Systematic Review Arch Intern Med, July 14, 2008; 168(13): 1371 - 1386. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. S. Nieminen, V.-P. Harjola, M. Hochadel, H. Drexler, M. Komajda, D. Brutsaert, K. Dickstein, P. Ponikowski, L. Tavazzi, F. Follath, et al. Gender related differences in patients presenting with acute heart failure. Results from EuroHeart Failure Survey II Eur J Heart Fail, February 1, 2008; 10(2): 140 - 148. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Keyhan, S.-F. Chen, and L. Pilote Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and survival in women and men with heart failure Eur J Heart Fail, June 1, 2007; 9(6-7): 594 - 601. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|