Diabetes and Heart Attack Mortality in Women

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Marcin Sadowski
Świętokrzyskie Cardiology Center, Kielce, Poland

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Sadowski: In multivariable analysis, diabetes was an independent risk factor of in-hospital and 1-year mortality in women treated for STEMI.

In women with STEMI and diabetes one-year mortality was significantly lower in those treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention than in those on optimal medical therapy.

Early and long-term prognoses after STEMI were the worst in diabetic women, compared with non-diabetic women and diabetic men.
MedicalResearch.com:  Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Sadowski: Although primary angioplasty improves long-term prognosis in diabetic women, it is less frequently implemented as compared to diabetic men and non-diabetic women.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Sadowski: Poor short- and long-term prognosis in diabetic women with STEMI is related to the high-risk clinical profile, the longest symptom onset-to-door time, and high in-hospital complication rate. This should encourage both primary care physicians and all specialists to manage the patients strictly according to guidelines and not to neglect referring for immediate revascularization.

Regardless of the good system of STEMI management some educational programs targeted on patients with diabetes are crucial to improve results of primary angioplasty as the rule “time is muscle” is still valid.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Sadowski: Ongoing similar registries in all countries are mandatory to monitor the guidelines implementation and the results of STEMI management in diabetic patients. This may help to optimize local STEMI networks.

Citation:

ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Women With Type 2 Diabetes.

Radomska E, Sadowski M, Kurzawski J, Gierlotka M, Polonski L.

Corresponding author: Marcin Sadowski, [email protected].
Diabetes Care. 2013 Nov;36(11):3469-75. doi: 10.2337/dc13-0394. Epub 2013 Oct 2.

Last Updated on February 25, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD