Women are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease as doctors ignore gender differences

Medical Xpress October 22, 2024
Amy Huebschmann, Judith Regensteiner, The Conversation

A simple difference in the genetic code—two X chromosomes versus one X chromosome and one Y chromosome—can lead to major differences in heart disease. It turns out that these genetic differences influence more than just sex organs and sex assigned at birth—they fundamentally alter the way cardiovascular disease develops and presents.

While sex influences the mechanisms behind how cardiovascular disease develops, gender plays a role in how health care providers recognize and manage it. Sex refers to biological characteristics such as genetics, hormones, anatomy and physiology, while gender refers to social, psychological and cultural constructs. Women are more likely to die after a first heart attack or stroke than men. Women are also more likely to have additional or different...

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