Changing Scenario in Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Females—Evidence from Recent Studies

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents the most severe form of coronary artery disease (CAD) warranting urgent admission and intervention. Conventional teaching dictates that women are free from cardiovascular diseases in their reproductive age group. There is also a high prevalence of microvascular disease and atypical presentations in the fairer sex. Because of these factors, CAD is often under diagnosed and undertreated in women. They are also unfortunately underrepresented in major studies. But it is noteworthy that CAD remains the leading cause of death in both men and women alike. Evidence-based medicine and protocols have led to drastic improvement of outcomes of CAD and ACS. With close to one hundred trials presented at major cardiology meetings, it is impossible for the clinician to keep track of all of them. The authors describe briefly the recent studies in management of STEMI /ACS which have the potential to impact their daily practice. Hence, they also try to assess the impact of female gender on cardiovascular outcomes in these studies.