Study finds gender differences in cardiac outcomes for dialysis patients

A multidisciplinary study involving eight experts from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine found significant gender differences in cardiovascular outcomes in patients with kidney failure.

The study's lead author will receive an international award for his work. published in American Heart Association Journal.

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers analyzed data from more than 500,000 patients receiving treatment. dialysis A study in the United States found that women have a higher risk of heart failure and stroke than men. However, women have a lower overall risk of death from cardiovascular disease and death from any cause.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that women are at higher risk for cardiovascular events than men. kidney “Failures in patients receiving dialysis have been reported in the literature,” said Shirvi Shah, MD, MSc, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine Nephrology and Hypertension at the University of California and principal investigator of the study. FASN, FACP said.

Researchers found that women on dialysis had a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events than men, including a 16% higher risk of heart attack and 31% higher risk of stroke.

Shah and her collaborators have different theories as to why.

One is the role of estrogen. It is known that women on dialysis typically reach menopause several years earlier than healthy women, reducing their protective properties.

“Women also tend to be less likely to receive preventive kidney care, which can lead to the need for dialysis in the first place,” Shah said. “And women who suffer a stroke tend to receive less care.”

Shah said women with kidney failure tend to start dialysis later than men. She added that when they start dialysis, treatment times tend to be shorter than men. Additionally, women on dialysis have a higher incidence of diabetes than men on dialysis.

Shah said more research is needed into why women on dialysis survive cardiac events more frequently than men. “I don't know the real reason,” she says.

Her team believes the cause may be misdiagnosis or poor treatment.

“Women need to be treated differently when it comes to heart health,” Shah said. “This study reveals important gender differences in cardiovascular health. disparity Disparities between men and women and in care point to the need for more personalized cardiac care for women,” Shah said.

He said the study reveals just some of the things doctors should keep in mind when monitoring the cardiovascular health of their female patients.

“Health care professionals need to reevaluate how they approach prevention and education. heart disease “However, this study highlights the importance of promoting overall heart health and healthy living, especially for women with kidney failure and undergoing dialysis,” Professor Shah said.

It also became clear that more research is needed on women undergoing dialysis, which Shah is already undertaking.

She plans research to better understand the pathophysiology that leads to more frequent cardiovascular events in women with: renal failure.