Who is more likely to survive a heart attack, men or women? Study reveals

Heart attack, the two words are quite scary. It is a severe condition in which blood flow to the heart stops abruptly. Heart attacks require urgent medical treatments to prevent irreversible consequences. Many factors affect the survival rates after a heart attack. And gender is one of them, reveals study.

A recent study has revealed that women are more likely to die after a heart attack. The study explains that women are less likely to receive life-saving treatment for cardiogenic shock (a life–threatening condition caused by a severe heart attack) than men. This further increases their risk of death after a heart attack.

The findings of the research were presented at ESC Acute Cardiovascular Care 2022, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

For the study, 1,716 heart attack patients with cardiogenic shock were examined. Out of which 438 were women.

The study also revealed: Women were significantly more likely than men to be initially admitted to a local hospital (41 % women versus 30 per cent men), while more men presented with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (25 % women versus 48 per cent men).

In terms of treatment: Significantly lower proportions of women received treatment for cardiogenic shock. Therefore, women were significantly less likely to survive in the short and long term than men.

WHO IS MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP A HEART ATTACK?

According to the study, women are more likely to die after a heart attack. However, men are more likely to experience one.

Gender plays a significant role in determining the overall risk of a heart attack of an individual. Men are more likely to develop any form of heart disease than women. The risk of heart disease in women increases after menopause.

What else affects your heart attack risk?

Your age: Men over 45 years and women at the age of 55 years or above are at a higher risk of heart attack.

Your lifestyle: Unhealthy habits increase the risk of heart diseases including heart attacks. So, smoking, use of tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, illegal use of drugs and uncontrolled stress should be considered worrisome.

Your overall health: Uncontrolled blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, obesity and untreated diabetes also put you at a higher risk.

Family history: Genes also play a role here. If your siblings, parents or grandparents have had an early heart attack, you are also at a significantly higher risk.