[Management of cardiovascular diseases is characterized by male perspective. Women are subjected to incorrect management, diagnosis and treatment].
In women as well as in men cardiovascular disease is common, and almost as many women as men suffer from myocardial infarction every year in Sweden. In spite of this, studies on female cardiovascular disease are few in number. Knowledge about differences in risk factors, prevention, treatment and management is not common. Female cardiovascular disease starts approximately ten years later than in men and consequently most women are excluded from studies because of low age limits for inclusion. Primary preventive effects of e.g. acetylsalicylic acid, lipid-lowering drugs, vitamins and exercise have only been studied in healthy men, but the conclusions have been applied on women as well. The effects of reducing triglyceride levels or abdominal obesity in women--important risk factors for cardiovascular disease--have not been studied in controlled randomized studies. In women, angina is a non-specific symptom, and false positive ECG's are much more frequent than in men. The fact that a woman has to present as a man in order to be treated professionally (the Yentl syndrome) is still at hand. There is a great need for spreading current knowledge regarding gender differences among colleagues and medical students.
Björkelund
C
C
Avdelningen för allmänmedicin, institutionen för samhällsmedicin, Göteborgs universitet. cecilia.bjorkelund@allmed.gu.se
Bengtsson
C
C
Schenck-Gustafsson
K
K
Swahn
E
E
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice; D018579:Patient Selection; D011287:Prejudice; D011322:Primary Prevention; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012106:Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D016387:Women's Health
Hantering av hjärt--kärlsjukdom präglas av manligt perspektiv. Kvinnor får felaktiga omhändertaganden, diagnoser och behandlingar.