Women with diabetes mellitus younger than 65 years are a high risk group after myocardial infarction. A report from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive Care Admission (RIKS-HIA)

¹ Institution of Medicine, Unit of Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
² Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Linkoping, Linkoping, Sweden, Sweden
³ Deparmtent of Cardiology, University Hospital in Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden, Sweden

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: anna.norhammar{at}karolinska.se.

Accepted 27 February 2008

	Abstract

Objective To analyse gender differences in prognosis, risk factors and evidence-based treatment in patients with diabetes and myocardial infarction.

Research, design and methods Mortality in 1995-2002 was analysed in 70,882 Swedish patients (age<80) with a first registry-recorded acute myocardial infarction stratified by gender and age. Due to gender differences in mortality, specifically characterising patients below the age of 65 years, a more detailed analysis was performed within this cohort of 25,555 patients. In this group, 5,786 (23%) were women and 4,473 (18%) had diabetes. Differences in clinical and other parameters were adjusted for using a propensity score model.

Results Long-term mortality in diabetic patients aged < 65 years was significantly higher in women than men (RR 95%CI 1.34; 1.16-1.55). Compared with diabetic men, women had an increased risk factor burden (hypertension 49 vs. 43%; RR 95%CI; 1.12; 1.05-1.20; heart failure 10 vs. 8%; RR 95%CI; 1.25;1.03-1.53). Diabetic women aged < 65 years were less frequently treated with intravenous beta blockade during the acute hospital phase and with ACE inhibitors at hospital discharge. However, this under-use was not associated with the mortality differences, nor was female gender by itself.

Conclusion Women with diabetes below 65 years of age have a poorer outcome than men after a myocardial infarction. This relates to an increased risk factor burden. It is suggested that greater awareness of this situation and improved prevention have the potential to improve what is an unfavourable situation for these women.