The Influence of Sex on Navigating Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Hospital-Based Cohort Study in South Asia

Abstract BackgroundThe cardiovascular risk profile and adverse events following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) differ between the Sex, indicating the importance of studying the sex differences in factors associated with ACS.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was performed among ACS patients presented to Teaching Hospital Peradeniya. An interviewer-administered prevalidated questionnaire was used to collect data, and analysis was done. ResultsA total of 789 patients were included, consisting of 40.4% females. The mean age of females (62.17±11.06) was higher than males (59.80±11.24) (p=0.004), and in females, the mean age for unstable angina (60.5±10.5) was lower than NSTEMI (63.8±12.5) (p=0.022) and STEMI (64.0±9.2) (p=0.026). The male-female composition for unstable angina (46.3% vs 53.7%) and STEMI (75.8% vs 24.2%) showed varied proportions. The mean BMI (24.95±4.40 kg m-3 vs 23.77±3.88 kg m-3) (p=0.008) and obesity (21.6% vs 13.8%) (p=0.048) was higher in females. Overweight (9.4% vs 8.8%) (p=0.048) and the waist-hip ratio (0.98±0.07 vs 0.94±0.10) (p=0.006) was higher in males. Family history of hypertension was higher in females (24.1% vs 17.0%) (p=0.014). Most of the females were co-morbid with diabetes (37.9%) (p=0.008), hypertension (59.8%) (p<0.001) and dyslipidaemia (40.3%) (p<0.001) than males. The prevalence of smoking and alcohol intake was significantly higher in males (p<0.001). The predominant symptom was chest pain (93.4%), regardless of Sex. Right chest pain was primarily present in females (8.0% vs 3.6%) (p=048), and radiation of pain to the right arm mainly occurred in males (18.2% vs 7.5%) (p=0.007). Vomiting and dyspnoea was higher in females (47.7% vs 38.4%, p=0.049 and 53.1% vs 43.2%, p=0.039). The delay in presentation to the hospital was more in females (6:04±6:02) than males (3:55±4:22) with STEMI. The commonest reason for the delay was not suspecting an ACS, and a three-wheeler was the primary mode of transport in both sexes without any sex difference. Only 7.0% was delayed due to the unavailability of a transport facility.ConclusionFemale and male patients with ACS show differences in the age of onset, the spectrum of ACS, comorbidities, anthropometric measurements, risk factors like smoking and alcohol intake, clinical presentation aspects and delay in presentation to the hospital.