Analysis of Sex Discrepancies in Percutaneous Cardiac Interventions

This thesis investigated discrepancies between women and men with heart disease. In patients with heart attacks, we observed significantly longer times from symptom onset to the restoration of blood supply to the heart muscle in women, compared to men. After a heart attack, women had higher death rates compared to men, particularly younger women. In patients with heart valve disease we found women experienced longer waiting-times for valve procedures, compared to men, and this led to poorer outcomes. These differences reflect a complex interplay of factors intrinsic to the female sex as well as patient and clinician bias.