Gender differences in coronary heart disease in Turkey

Objectives: To find out whether or not there are some gender differences according to prevalence and underlying risk factors of coronary heart disease (CHD). Methodology: The study was performed in the Internal Medicine Polyclinic on consecutive patients coming with any complaint at and above the age of 15 years between August 2005 and March 2007. Patients under 15 years of age are examined in Paediatrics Department. Results: The study included 2860 cases. Prevalence of CHD was similar both in males and females (4.4% vs 3.8%, p > 0.05, respectively). Mean age of CHD was 63.5 years in males and 61.5 years in females (p > 0.05). Prevalence of smoking was higher in males with CHD (54.5% vs 9.6%, p < 0.001). Females had a nonsignificantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) (28.3 vs 29.7 kg/ m2, p > 0.05). Mean values of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) were higher in females (115.6 vs 132.6 mg/dL, p = 0.008 and 150.1 vs 250.3 mg/dL, p = 0.002, respectively). White coat hypertension (WCH) was nonsignificant (23.6% vs 30.6%, p > 0.05), but hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) were significantly higher in females (p<0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). On the other hand, coronary artery stenting (CAS) and/or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery was greater among males (21.8% vs 1.6%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: CHD is probably seen with similar prevalences in both sexes in Turkey with some prominent differences in the underlying risk factors. Prevalence of smoking was higher in males, whereas mean values of the BMI, LDL-C, TG and prevalences of the WCH, HT, DM were higher in females. On the other hand, prevalence of CAS and/or CABG surgery was significantly higher