Gender does not influence event-free survival in patients with ischaemic heart disease undergoing non-emergency coronary angiography. A single centre analysis.

Background: Although gender-related differences in cardiovascular risk in patients with acute coronary syndromes have been investigated several times in Poland, there are few data on the effects of gender on management of patients with stable ischaemic heart disease (IHD). In addition, available data on the prognosis in this condition in men and women are also scarce. Aim: To assess gender-related differences in treatment and event-free survival in patients with IHD undergoing non-emergency coronary angiography. Methods: 960 consecutive patients with IHD undergoing coronary angiography were included. Study end points were ascertained over 4.5-year follow-up in 925 patients, of whom 187 were women and 738 were men. The primary end-point consisted of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrest, PCI, CABG or heart transplantation. Results: Female gender was independently related to higher prescription rate of beta-blockers [odds ratio 1.89 (95% Cl 1.08-3.29)], ACE inhibitors [1.47 (1.01-2.16)] and calcium antagonists [1.65 (1.08-2.53)] at the time of coronary angiography. On the other hand, female gender was not independently related to the probability of PCI [1.01 (0.69-1.49)] or CABG [0.91 (0.57-1.48)]. We did not find any gender-related difference in the risk of the primary end point [hazard ratio 0.94 (95% Cl 0.67-1.34)] or the three predefined secondary end points. Conclusions: Female gender was independently related to a higher prescription rate of beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and calcium antagonists. No gender-related revascularisation was found in respect of myocardial revascularisation. Gender was not an independent factor affecting event-free survival in patients with IHD undergoing non-emergency coronary angiography.