Gender differences in the implementation of cardiovascular prevention measures after an acute coronary event

Objective To compare gender-related lifestyle changes and risk factor management after hospitalisation for a coronary event or revascularisation intervention in Europe. Method The EUROASPIRE III survey was carried out in 22 European countries in 2006-2007. Consecutive patients having had a coronary event or revascularisation before the age of 80 were identified. A total of 8966 patients (25.3% women) were interviewed and underwent clinical and biochemical tests at least 6 months after hospital admission. Trends in cardiovascular risk management were assessed on the basis of the 1994-1995, 1999-2000 and 2006-2007 EUROASPIRE surveys. Results Female survey participants were generally older and had a lower educational level than male participants (p<0.0001). The prevalences of obesity (p<0.0001), high blood pressure (BP) (p=0.001), elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (p<0.0001) and diabetes (p<0.0001) were significantly higher in women than in men, whereas current smoking (p<0.0001) was significantly more common in men. The use of antihypertensive and antidiabetic drugs (but not that of other drugs) was more common in women than in men. However, BP (p<0.0001), LDL-cholesterol (p<0.0001) and HbA1c (p<0.0001) targets were less often achieved in women than in men. Between 1994 and 2007, cholesterol control improved less in women than in men (interaction: p=0.009), whereas trends in BP control (p=0.32) and glycaemia (p=0.36) were similar for both genders. Conclusion The EUROASPIRE III results show that despite similarities in medication exposure, women are less likely than men to achieve BP, LDL-cholesterol and HbA1c targets after a coronary event. This gap did not appear to narrow between 1994 and 2007.