Abstract

VALVERDE, Marcelo et al. Characteristics of ischaemic coronary artery disease in the woman. Arch. Med Int [online]. 2009, vol.31, n.2-3, pp.46-59. ISSN 0250-3816.

Ischemic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death among women in developed countries. Its specific characteristics have been insufficiently studied even today. Cardiovascular risk factors classically described in medical literature, are associated with an increase in the absolute cardiovascular risk in women, but having a different impact in comparison with men. There are differences in the clinical presentation of this entity between men and women. The more atypical symptomatology, the less diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive techniques and the underutilization of coronary angiography, make the diagnostic of this entity more complex in women. Medical treatment presents significant differences between both genders. This behavior is not based on evidence but in the underutilization of therapeutic resources in women. Myocardial reperfusion treatments through percutaneous trasluminal angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery also tend to be performed less frequently in women than in men. Therefore, we can conclude that women with coronary artery disease have less access to an appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approach, regarding not only medical but also interventionist’s techniques, which probably has an impact on the prognosis of this affection. The aim of this review is to update our knowledge about the characteristics of ischemic cardiomyopathy in women.

Keywords : Women; Cardiovascular risk factors; Iischemic Cardiomyopathy; Coronary artery disease.

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