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. 2015 Aug;4(2):129-35.
doi: 10.15420/aer.2015.04.02.129.

Sex Differences in Utilisation and Response to Implantable Device Therapy

Deepika Narasimha  1 , Anne B Curtis  1
Affiliations

Sex Differences in Utilisation and Response to Implantable Device Therapy

Deepika Narasimha et al. Arrhythm Electrophysiol Rev. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

Multiple studies have demonstrated that implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) provide significant mortality and morbidity benefits to eligible patients irrespective of gender. However, female patients are less likely to receive this life-saving therapy and are significantly under-represented in cardiac device trials. Various performance improvement programmes have proved that this gender disparity can be reduced and these therapies should be offered to all eligible patients regardless of sex. Efforts should be made to enrol more women in clinical trials and sex-specific analysis in medical device clinical studies should be encouraged. In this article we review the data on sex differences in clinical outcomes with ICDs and CRT and explore the reasons for this sex-based disparity.

Keywords: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator; cardiac resynchronisation therapy; gender differences in cardiac device utilisation; sudden cardiac death.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. Adjusted Mortality Rates for Women with and without an ICD
Figure 2:
Figure 2:. Kaplan-Meier Survival Curves for Time-to-first Heart Failure Hospitalisation or Death in (A) women and (B) Men Treated with Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy versus Control
Figure 3:
Figure 3:. Cumulative Probability of VT/VF or Death in Subjects with LBBB who Received CRT-D Based on CRT Response
Figure 4:
Figure 4:. Kaplan-Meier Estimates of Outcomes in LBBB and QRS of 130 to 149 Milliseconds Stratified by Sex
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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