Buzz
A recent study reported by Scientific American reveals that women suffering heart attacks may have a 12 percent higher risk of death if treated by a male doctor.
One reason for this disparity might be the lack of female doctors, who account for only 25% of emergency room physicians in the U.S. The study, published in the journal PNAS, examined 19 years of heart attack data from nearly every ER in Florida, sourced from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.
The researchers investigated the connection between death rates and four doctor-patient combinations: male doctors treating men or women, and female doctors treating men or women. The results were consistent, except when it came to male doctors treating female patients, says Brad Greenwood, co-author of the study, in an interview with Scientific American.
The research found that one out of every 66 women experiencing a heart attack will die in the emergency room if treated by a male doctor rather than a female doctor.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., yet it is often misunderstood as a disease that only affects men and the elderly. In reality, it claims the lives of around 15,000 women under 55 each year.
Men are also more likely to recover. According to 2016 statistics from the American Heart Association, 36 percent of men die within five years of having a heart attack, compared to 47 percent of women.
Other studies have shown similar results. A research published in February found that doctors are more likely to dismiss heart attack symptoms when reported by young women compared to young men. This may be because women's symptoms often present differently, with complaints like neck and back pain, fatigue, and nausea; whereas most research has focused on male patients, setting a standard for the symptoms.
As a result, many women delay seeking medical attention. Dr. Harmony Reynolds, a cardiologist specializing in women’s heart health, told the New York Post in February, “I can’t tell you how many women I’ve seen who say they felt something and wondered if it was a heart attack. That inkling is there, but for some reason it doesn’t convert into action.”
For more details on heart attack symptoms in women, check out the Go Red for Women website.
