In this study at Emory University in Atlanta (United States), the records of 51,178 patients who underwent surgery between 1993 and 1999 were reviewed, of which 29.7% (more than 15,000) were women. This large series was divided into five age groups: under 50 years, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and over 80 years, and before determining the mortality risk of each group, the general condition was analyzed. of patients’ health, non-coronary comorbidity and present cardiovascular risk factors.
The results show that the hospital mortality rate in women was 5.3% compared to 2.9% in men. Furthermore, these differences were greater in younger patients: in those under 50 years of age, the mortality rates were 3.4% in women and 1.1% in men, and in the 50 to 59 age group, 2, 6% in women and 1.1% in men. These differences between sexes disappear in patients aged 80 years and older, in whom the risk is slightly higher among women: 9% compared to 8.3% among men.
The authors point out that, although women tended to have more previous pathology and a greater presence of risk factors, cardiac catheterization showed, "paradoxically," that their coronary arteriosclerosis was less extensive and their cardiac function was better.
