P-71 Gender differences in improvements in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors during exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation: impact of statin therapy

Abstract

Studies have raised concerns that statins may attenuate favourable effects of lifestyle intervention on cardiovascular risk factors. We hypothesised that gender differences may exist in the responsiveness of risk factors to exercise-based phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in statin-treated patients. We compared the effect of a 12-week CR program on multiple risk factors in 5734 male (age = 64±11 yrs) and 2148 female (age = 67±11 yrs) statin-treated patients (Cohort A, n = 7882). Where significant gender differences were noted, similar comparisons were made between 1516 male (age = 66±12 yrs) and 813 female (age = 64±13 yrs) CR participants not taking statins (Cohort B, n = 2329). Patients completed assessments on entry and exit from CR at 35 U.S.-based centres. Statistical analyses were performed using paired and unpaired t-tests. For Cohort A, significant (p Our findings suggest that: male and female statin-treated patients derive significant improvements in multiple risk factors during CR; in statin-treated CR participants, with the possible exception of triglycerides, there are either no gender differences in the magnitude of improvement or, in the case of BP, gender differences that are similar to those in patients not taking statins (greater decrease in females); and physical activity in statin treated cardiac patients should be encouraged.