Gender bias and help seeking in coronary artery disease

Abstract

Coronary artery Disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women worldwide. Despite the common misconception that CAD is a ‘man's disease’ it is now well known that women endure much worse clinical outcomes than men following CAD-related events. A number of studies have explored whether gender differences exist in patients presenting with CAD, and specifically whether women do indeed delay seeking help for cardiac conditions. Understanding the difference between help-seeking decisions made by men and women is complex. Many UK and overseas studies suggest that women with cardiac symptoms often delay help seeking or making help-seeking decisions, but more work is needed. Women may not present with the same ‘classical’ chest pain symptoms but this should no means imply a low risk of CAD.