[Gender differences of at risk patients with overt heart failure in the real world of general practice. Data from the GIPSI (Gestione Integrata Progetto Scompenso in Italia) registry].
BACKGROUND
Controlled clinical trials have defined the characteristics of specialized world populations, different from the real world population. On this basis, the GIPSI registry was created, aiming to collect data from heart failure populations managed by general practitioners, focusing on gender differences.


METHODS
The registry was based on family history, clinical and laboratory data collection from general practitioners. Patients were considered as being at risk for heart failure if data applied to stage A/B, or presenting overt heart failure if data applied to stage C/D of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association classification.


RESULTS
From June 2006 to October 2007, 757 consecutive patients (475 male, 62.7%) were enrolled from 260 general practitioner's practices; 227 patients (143 male, 63.0%) had overt heart failure. In the female population at risk, higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were observed, whereas males showed more frequently ischemic heart disease, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, and were more often prescribed with statins and antiplatelet drugs. There were more heart failure females with diabetes and of advanced age. Moreover, females showed a higher pulse pressure and a significantly lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (by simplified MDRD equation) than males.


CONCLUSIONS
The data collected in a real world population show that heart failure has significantly different gender characteristics, especially for risk factors, age, blood pressure and renal function. This kind of investigation should be extended to larger patient populations for a better understanding of the disease.
Gronda
Edoardo
E
U.O. di Cardiologia Clinica, Istituto Clinico Humanitas, IRCCS, Rozzano, MI. edoardo.gronda@multimedica.it
Aronica
Alberto
A
Visconti
Marco
M
Di Malta
Antonio
A
Pini
Daniela
D
Mangiavacchi
Maurizio
M
Andreuzzi
Bruno
B
Municinò
Annamaria
A
Genovese
Stefano
S
Morenghi
Emanuela
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015897:Comorbidity; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D014280:Triglycerides