Women less likely to get care for potentially fatal heart condition, study finds
Researchers found women are 11% less likely to be referred to a hospital specialist after a diagnosis of the heart valve disease aortic stenosis.
Academics said the findings show 'inequities in management and care of this common and serious condition' after they also found differences in care among south Asian and black patients as well as those from poorer backgrounds.
Aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the aortic valve or the area immediately around it, leads to obstruction of the blood flow from the heart, which leads to symptoms including dizziness, fatigue, chest pain and breathlessness.
The condition is more common in elderly people.
It is not possible to reverse but treatments can include a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or valve replacement surgery.
If left untreated it can lead to serious complications, including heart failure, heart rhythm abnormalities, and death.
The analysis suggests some people are less likely to receive this treatment.
Experts from the University of Leicester examined GP data on 155,000 people diagnosed with aortic stenosis between 2000 and 2022 in England.
Presenting their findings to the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester, experts said as well as women being less likely to be referred for hospital care, they are 39% less likely to have a procedure to replace their aortic valve.
Researchers also found people living in poorer neighbourhoods are 7% less likely to be referred for hospital care after a diagnosis compared to people from wealthier neighbourhoods.
Meanwhile, black patients are 48% less likely to undergo a procedure to replace their aortic valve compared to white patients.
South Asian patients are 27% less likely to undergo a procedure compared to their white counterparts, according to the study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and supported by NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre.
Dr Anvesha Singh, associate professor at the University of Leicester and consultant cardiologist, who was involved in the research, said: 'Previous studies have shown lower rates of valve replacement in women, and clinicians had assumed that women were less likely to be diagnosed with aortic stenosis.
'This analysis using large, real-world data clearly shows that this is not the case, giving us the clearest picture yet of what is happening in day-to-day clinical practice.
'Our study highlights potential inequities in management and care of this common and serious condition. More research is needed to understand the reasons for this and the true prevalence of aortic stenosis in different groups.'
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation, which supported the research, and consultant cardiologist, said: 'This study of over 150,000 GP records has unveiled disparities in access to aortic valve treatment for women, south Asian and black people, and people living in more deprived communities.
'We don't yet have the full picture, but these findings are concerning and we need more research to understand what is driving the differences seen.
'This will be crucial to enable action to address any underlying causes stopping some people from having access to the heart valve treatment and care they need, when they need it.'
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