title: Gender differences in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease: reasons to worry or not?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse potential gender differences in cardiovascular risk factors and treatment patterns, reflecting clinical practice in secondary prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational national study during 3 years of patients eligible for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two healthcare districts in Sweden, involving primary health care and hospitals in collaboration, participating in a national quality assurance programme for the prevention of CHD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national sample of male and female patients surviving acute myocardial infarction, or following CABG/PTCA interventions for CHD, controlled at 3-6 months (n = 9135) and 12 months (n = 4802) of follow-up. The proportion of female patients (25%) did not differ between visits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported data on lifestyle, drug treatment and cardiovascular risk factor levels after consultation in general practice or at hospital policlinics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No major gender differences were recorded in risk factor levels or in cardiovascular drug treatment patterns at 12 months of follow-up. Female patients participated in educational programmes to improve lifestyle to a higher degree than males (52.0 vs 45.1%), but after 1 year were more often (p < 0.001) self-reported smokers (11.7 vs 8.4%). Female patients showed higher levels of blood pressure, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol, but not LDL cholesterol compared to male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, a gender-equal level of lipid control and access to medical drug treatment has been established for patients in secondary prevention from a national sample in Sweden, followed for 1 year after CHD manifestations and related interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. Peter.Nilsson@medforsk.mas.lu.se
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brandström
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lingfors
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hedbäck
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Israelsson
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
mesh_terms: D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008019:Life Style; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids