Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 22, Issue 25, 2016

Background: The incidence of acute coronary syndrome is reported to be higher for males than females, yet clinical outcomes following acute myocardial infarction are worse among females. Information about acute coronary syndrome outcomes is obtained from randomised and cohort data. However, randomised controlled trials which are designed to evaluate the efficacy of clinical interventions often have limited exter Read More

Ischemic heart disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in industrialized nations, and contributes substantially to healthcare expenditure worldwide. As the evidence base in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has expanded dramatically over decades, longitudinal data demonstrate improvements in risk factor modification, organization of healthcare systems, and disease management that have substan Read More

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) despite the advances in medical management keeps on as the primary cause of morbidity and mortality for both genders in Western societies. Sex differences though modify the clinical picture as well as the effectiveness of treatment. Methods and Results: In this literature review article we searched publications in Englishlanguage on MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database from the b Read More

Background: The debate on whether sex-specific predictive models improve risk stratification after myocardial infarction is ongoing. Methods: This review summarises the current clinical knowledge on sex-specific differences in post-infarction risk stratification parameters. Particular focus is given to electrocardiographic risk factors and indices of cardiac autonomic status. Results: Differences in the underlying pathophysiology Read More

Background: The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a key regulator of the cardiovascular system. The two arms of the ANS, sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal) have co-regulatory effects on cardiac homeostasis. ANS modulation and dysfunction are also believed to affect various cardiac disease states. Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence suggesting gender differences in ANS activity. Method Read More

Background: Cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in both sexes in developed countries for decades. In general, men and women share the same cardiovascular risk factors. However, in recent trials including both men and women sexspecific analyses have raised awareness of sex differences in cardiovascular risk factors due to both biological and cultural differences. Results: Women experience th Read More

Background: Psychosocial risk factors such as stress and psychiatric disorders are known to have negative impacts on health outcomes, but their effects on ischemic heart disease, particularly in women, remain to be fully understood despite contributing to one-third of the population attributable risk in acute myocardial infarction. Methods: The impact of stress, social isolation, low socioeconomic status, hostility and an Read More

Background: Silent myocardial ischemia is a recognized but suboptimally studied condition in patients with and without known coronary artery disease. Limited work has focused on the association between silent myocardial ischemia and future prognosis however the majority of these analyses have focused mostly on male cohorts. As signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia are known to be different in women, it is Read More

Not all acute coronary syndromes (ACS) exhibit the classic symptoms of chest pain. The diagnosis of ACS in patients without typical chest pain is often challenging. These patients are at increased risk for delayed or incorrect diagnosis, less aggressive treatment and high in-hospital mortality. The association between diabetes mellitus and absence of chest pain in ischemic heart disease is established. As well, it is known that w Read More

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the most important cause of mortality worldwide. Although the awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and IHD in women has increased over the last decades, mortality rates are still higher in women than in men. Among traditional cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension is associated with a greater risk for IHD in women as compared to men. Methods: In this revie Read More

Background: There are no ready explanations for differences in ischemic heart disease incidence between women and men under an epidemiological perspective. However, when myocardial infarction occurs, there are more likely individuals who happen to die. Methods: This review from a more recent literature was performed for a two-fold purpose, to describe gender wise: a) the role of classical and novel f Read More

Background: There is conflicting evidence regarding the benefit of an early invasive strategy vs. a conservative strategy in women with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Methods: We searched English-language studies on MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 2000 to December 2015. Results from major available studies and meta-analysis comparing outcomes of an e Read More

Background: Ischemic heart disease is the major cause of death in women. Men and women have many similarities in relation to cardiovascular risk factors, but they differ in the pathophysiology, clinical presentation and outcomes in the setting of coronary artery disease and myocardial ischemia. Over the last years, due to innovative imaging technologies and more specific diagnostic strategies, increasing number of clini Read More

Background: A substantial part of literature has been centered on sex differences in the clinical aspects of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Many reports have documented differences in the presentation and risk profile between women and men. Such differences drive sex-related inequalities in the referral and treatment of IHD. Yet data are insufficient to clarify the reasons for such disparities. The objective of this review is to Read More