The number of adults receiving immediate, advanced care for heart attacks is on the rise, but disparities remain, especially for women, according to research published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Researchers retrospectively reviewed data from 450,000 adults living in California who sought hospital care for a heart attack between 2005-2015. They found that in 2015 about three-fourths of men and two-thirds of women who had a sudden heart attack had a cardiovascular imaging procedure during hospitalization to guide treatment. These rates were up from 2005 when about half of men and one-third of women had similar procedures. Survival rates also improved during this time. In 2013, 88% of men and 79% of women survived a sudden heart attack compared to 82% and 70% in 2005. They also found Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults who had a heart attack were somewhat less likely than white adults to receive the same imaging and treatment but had similar or stronger survival rates after one year.
The researchers concluded more work is needed to understand and address these disparities. Women can be more likely to experience heart attacks later in life, which may explain some differences in care. However, regional factors were noted that suggest social bias or access to healthcare may also influence treatment. The study was supported by NHLBI.