Clinical characteristics of Polish women with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND

Differences in clinical manifestation, therapeutic strategies and prognosis in men and women with acute coronary syndromes became crucial in the last decade.

AIM: To present clinical characteristics of Polish women with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

A total of 26,035 patients with STEMI (8989 females, 34.5%) were included between 01.06.2005 and 31.05.2006. Data were obtained from the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (PL-ACS).

RESULTS

Women were older than men. The incidence of classical risk factors, anterior infarction, atrial fibrillation, higher heart rate, cardiac arrest, pulmonary oedema and cardiogenic shock was higher in women. Coronary angiography was performed in 58.7% of patients, significantly less in women. There was a longer time delay in women at each stage of treatment. In-hospital and 12-month mortality was significantly higher in women. Pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, age, diabetes and anterior infarction were independent factors of risk of death in multifactorial analyses, both in in-hospital and long term observation.

CONCLUSIONS

Basic clinical characteristics of women with STEMI is poorer than in men. Women have longer time delay at each stage of treatment. Invasive strategy was less frequently applied in women. Independent predictors of death are similar in men and in women. Both in-hospital and one year mortality is higher in women.