title: Gender differences in symptom experiences of patients with acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: To compare the symptom experiences between men and women with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), we surveyed a convenience sample of 112 subjects with a final diagnosis of ACS in four hospitals. Our study found that after adjusting for cardiac diagnosis, diabetes, and age, women were more likely than men to experience chest discomfort rather than chest pain; pain/discomfort only in areas of the body other than the chest; pain/discomfort that started first either in the arm(s) or in areas of the body other than the chest; and unexplained anxiety. Women were less likely than men to experience chest pain/discomfort, pain/discomfort in the left side of the chest, and chest pain/discomfort as the most worrisome symptom. Significant gender differences were observed in the reports of several symptoms associated with ACS. This study is the first to identify different pain/discomfort referral patterns between men and women that require further validation.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Wan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Diana J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wilkie
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Puntillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology