GENDER-ASSOCIATED DIFFERENCES IN ACUTE HEART FAILURE PATIENTS PRESENTING TO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Little is known about gender-associated differences in characteristics and survival of acute heart failure patients. The increasing incidence calls for investigating the possibilities of improved management. The purpose of the study was to determine gender-associated differences among emergency department acute heart failure patients in order to improve treatment quality and survival. A prospective observational study on 22,713 patients was conducted at the University Hospital Center Emergency department during 2010 and included 726 consecutive acute heart failure patients. The most common cause of acute heart failure was worsening of chronic heart failure. Females suffered more frequently from hypertensive acute heart failure and males from acute heart failure associated with acute coronary syndrome. Females were older, with higher body mass index, atrial fibrillation, urinary tract infections, hypertension history, hypertension at admission, and SAPS II score at admission. Males had a higher frequency of ST-elevation myocardial infarction and dilated cardiomyopathy, confirmed by ultrasound as lower ejection fraction and left ventricle dilatation with reduced ejection fraction. Males were more frequently smokers with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The importance of treating hypertension and atrial fibrillation in women and acute coronary syndrome and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in men should be emphasized. Aggressive identification and management of all possible heart failure etiologies should be recommended in the emergency department.