Introduction: Recent literature suggests that heart failure (HF) may be a different entity in women than in men. The purpose of the study was to examine any differences in the presentation, management and survival with respect to gender in patients with HF.
Methods: The data analysis included the records of more than 400 visits during 2.5 years of 84 pts (31 females and 53 males) who had multiple daily treatment sessions at Infusion Center. Primary disorders, co-morbidities, arrhythmias and reasons for ICD implantation were evaluated. Patients were followed in order to assess the frequency of re-hospitalizations and their survival.
Results: The study demonstrated that CAD and hypertension were the most common causes of HF in men and women. DM and thyroid disease was found at the same frequency in both gender groups. However renal disease was significantly more prevalent in males.
Despite very similar frequency of cardiac arrhythmias in both gender groups, significantly more males had the ICD implanted as compared to females.
Conclusions: The rate of re-hospitalizations at 30 days and during 6 months period was higher in males than females, however the survival during 12 months follow-up was significantly lower in females than males.