title: Gender related differences in patients presenting with acute heart failure. Results from EuroHeart Failure Survey II.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This analysis evaluates the gender differences in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure (AHF) in the EuroHeart Failure Survey II (EHFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3580 patients included in EHFS II, 1384 (39%) were women, mean age 73 years. 2196 (61%) were men, mean age 68 years. Women more frequently had new-onset AHF, hypertension and valvular disease and less frequently coronary heart disease or dilated cardiomyopathy compared with men. Smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral arterial disease and renal failure were less common, but diabetes and anaemia significantly more frequent in women. Atrial fibrillation and preserved left ventricular function were more common in women. Men were more often non-compliant with medication. After adjustment for indications and age, there were no significant gender differences in prescription of HF medication. All-cause readmission rate during the one-year follow-up was lower in women. However, the proportion of HF hospitalisation and one-year mortality after discharge (20%) were similar in both genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women frequently present with new-onset AHF. A significant gender difference exists in aetiology, ventricular function and co-morbidities. Women's use of HF medication has improved. These findings emphasize the importance of individualised management and need for more comprehensive recruitment of women in clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. markku.nieminen@hus.fi
authors.forename: Markku S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nieminen
authors.forename: Veli-Pekka
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Harjola
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hochadel
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komajda
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brutsaert
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ponikowski
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavazzi
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Follath
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lopez-Sendon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000453:epidemiology