Interventional Cardiology Clinics — Revascularization Strategies in Women: Do Women Benefit as Much as Men?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with an estimated 20.5 million deaths globally and ischemic heart disease the greatest contributor to mortality. While the prevalence of CVD increases with age in both sexes, optimal outcomes in women continue to lag those of men, with evidence gaps in best treatments and disparities in the delivery of care persisting for women. The use of guideline-directed medical therapy, revascularization and use of mechanical circulatory support devices are lower in women compared to men. Women with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) tend to present at younger ages, however they continue to have worse in-hospital and long-term outcomes compared to age-matched men.The underrepresentation of women in clinical trials and our lack of understanding of age specific outcomes, further underscores the need for a call to action toward improving our understanding of gender-disparities in the management and outcomes of CVD. The purpose of this review is to describe our existing knowledge of revascularization outcomes in women and identify areas for future investigation.