RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Sex-related differences in access to care among patients with premature acute coronary syndrome
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP 497
OP 504
DO 10.1503/cmaj.131450
VO 186
IS 7
A1 Roxanne Pelletier
A1 Karin H. Humphries
A1 Avi Shimony
A1 Simon L. Bacon
A1 Kim L. Lavoie
A1 Doreen Rabi
A1 Igor Karp
A1 Meytal Avgil Tsadok
A1 Louise Pilote
A1 ,
YR 2014
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/186/7/497.abstract
AB Background: Access to care may be implicated in disparities between men and women in death after acute coronary syndrome, especially among younger adults. We aimed to assess sex-related differences in access to care among patients with premature acute coronary syndrome and to identify clinical and gender-related determinants of access to care.Methods: We studied 1123 patients (18–55 yr) admitted to hospital for acute coronary syndrome and enrolled in the GENESIS-PRAXY cohort study. Outcome measures were door-to-electrocardiography, door-to-needle and door-to-balloon times, as well as proportions of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization, reperfusion or nonprimary percutaneous coronary intervention. We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify clinical and gender-related determinants of timely procedures and use of invasive procedures.Results: Women were less likely than men to receive care within benchmark times for electrocardiography (≤ 10 min: 29% v. 38%, p = 0.02) or fibrinolysis (≤ 30 min: 32% v. 57%, p = 0.01). Women with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) were less likely than men to undergo reperfusion therapy (primary percutaneous coronary intervention or fibrinolysis) (83% v. 91%, p = 0.01), and women with non–ST-segment elevation MI or unstable angina were less likely to undergo nonprimary percutaneous coronary intervention (48% v. 66%, p < 0.001). Clinical determinants of poorer access to care included anxiety, increased number of risk factors and absence of chest pain. Gender-related determinants included feminine traits of personality and responsibility for housework.Interpretation: Among younger adults with acute coronary syndrome, women and men had different access to care. Moreover, fewer than half of men and women with ST-segment elevation MI received timely primary coronary intervention. Our results also highlight that men and women with no chest pain and those with anxiety, several traditional risk factors and feminine personality traits were at particularly increased risk of poorer access to care.