title: Subjective symptoms and well-being differ in women and men after myocardial infarction.
abstract: The frequency of subjective cardiac and psychological complaints among men and women a year after a confirmed diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) were compared. Among 660 survivors, 595 patients completed mailed questionnaires at home one year after the MI. There were 421 men, mean age 67.1 +/- 10.7 years, and 174 women, mean age 72.1 +/- 10.6 years. Controlling for the significantly higher mean age among the women, the latter more often had a previous history of angina pectoris, 54.6% (P < or = 0.05) versus 42.9%, and heart failure, 24.7% versus 13.5% (P < or = 0.01). Despite these facts, the women were significantly less often referred to CCU, 82.2% versus 91.7% (P < or = 0.05). One year after the MI, controlling for differences in age and co-morbidity, women reported significantly higher frequencies of psychological and psychosomatic complaints, including sleep disturbances. These differences may have clinical implications for diagnosis and treatment of women with coronary heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ostra Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wiklund
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herlitz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bengtson
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Karlson
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012803:Sick Role; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology