The age-old, accepted belief that men are more prone to heart diseases is being overturned by fresh medical evidence that puts greater weight on the access to treatment.

According to researchers from The George Institute of Global Health, who examined data from about 22 million people across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, women from low socio-economic backgrounds are 25 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack than disadvantaged men.

“A review of 116 studies demonstrated a lower socio-economic status, compared to a higher, is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease for both sexes, but women from more disadvantaged backgrounds were relatively more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than similarly affected men,” the report said. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women worldwide, with an estimated 8.6 million women dying every year.

Sanne Peters, Research Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, UK, said: “It’s widely known that people from disadvantaged backgrounds are at greater risk of heart attack and stroke than people with more affluent backgrounds. However, our study has shown there is a significant difference between the sexes. Disproportionally more disadvantaged women are suffering from heart disease than their male counterparts, which is concerning.”

Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director, George Institute for Global Health India, added that cardiovascular disease-related mortality among women grew from 10 per cent in 1980 to 25 per cent in 2013. “This is primarily due to the change in the overall lifestyle in the past couple of decades,” he said.

comment COMMENT NOW