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Gender differences in presentation and diagnosis of chest pain in primary care

Stefan Bösner1, Jörg Haasenritter, Maren A Hani

  • 1Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, University of Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany. boesner@staff.uni-marburg.de

BMC Family Practice
|December 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Men are more likely to have Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) than women, but chest pain symptoms differ by gender. Understanding these differences in primary care is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Primary Care Medicine
  • Gender Studies

Background:

  • Chest pain is a frequent reason for primary care visits.
  • Existing research on gender differences in Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) primarily focuses on hospital settings, not primary care.
  • This study addresses the gap by examining gender disparities in chest pain aetiology and clinical presentation within primary care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze gender differences in the causes and clinical characteristics of chest pain.
  • To identify gender-specific symptoms and signs associated with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).
  • To inform potential gender-tailored diagnostic strategies for chest pain in primary care.

Main Methods:

  • 1212 patients aged 35+ presenting with chest pain to 74 general practitioners (GPs) were included.
  • GPs collected patient symptoms and findings, with follow-up data.
  • An independent panel reviewed clinical data to determine chest pain aetiology; multivariable regression identified CHD predictors.

Main Results:

  • Men had higher rates of CHD (17.2%) compared to women (13.0%).
  • Women more frequently presented with psychogenic disorders, while men showed higher rates of trauma and pneumonia/pleurisy.
  • Specific symptoms like pain duration and location were differentially associated with CHD in men versus women.

Conclusions:

  • Significant gender differences exist in chest pain aetiology and clinical characteristics within primary care.
  • Symptoms associated with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) vary between men and women.
  • Further research is needed to determine if gender-specific diagnostic approaches for CHD are warranted.
Abstract

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