CAD In Women

Globally, coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of mortality in women. Approximately 2.8 million women have been diagnosed with CAD in the UK. Underestimation of cardiovascular risk in women results in delayed or even missed diagnoses of CAD. The use of investigations to detect severe coronary stenosis is often futile, as women have a lower prevalence of obstructive CAD but have greater symptom burden and functional impairment.

The evaluation of CAD symptoms in women remains challenging due to the atypical nature of presentation. Coronary angiography and revascularisation of coronary arteries is less common in women. However, women who undergo angiography have lower rates of obstructive CAD. The worse prognosis of CAD in women is associated with the fact that the onset of obstructive coronary artery disease in women is 7–10 years later than in men. Older women often have more comorbidities.