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Diseases of the thoracic aorta in women

Tam T T Huynh1, Jean E Starr

  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030-4009, USA. tamhuynh@mdanderson.org

Journal of Vascular Surgery
|March 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for women, with aortic diseases like aneurysm and dissection increasingly reported. This review focuses on gender differences in thoracic aortic diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death for women, matching or exceeding male mortality rates.
  • Aortic diseases, including aneurysm and dissection, are increasingly recognized causes of death, ranking 19th overall.
  • Historically, aortic disease was considered more prevalent in men, but recent data suggest a shift, necessitating a gender-focused analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an updated review of the epidemiology and management of common thoracic aortic diseases.
  • To highlight the differences and similarities in thoracic aortic diseases between women and men.
  • To address the potential impact of gender bias and underrepresentation of women in clinical research on cardiovascular outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of published statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Center for Disease Control.
  • Analysis of mortality data for cardiovascular diseases and specific aortic conditions (aneurysm, dissection) by gender.
  • Synthesis of current literature on the epidemiology and management of thoracic aortic diseases, with a focus on gender-specific aspects.

Main Results:

  • In 2006, cardiovascular disease caused 428,906 deaths in women (35%) and 394,840 deaths in men (33%).
  • Aortic aneurysm or dissection accounted for 5506 deaths in women (0.4%) and 7732 deaths in men (0.6%).
  • Despite historical perceptions, a comprehensive understanding of gender-specific epidemiology and management of thoracic aortic diseases is crucial due to evolving statistics and potential gender bias in research.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiovascular disease mortality is comparable between men and women, with aortic diseases representing a significant and increasing cause of death.
  • Understanding gender-specific differences in thoracic aortic diseases is essential for accurate diagnosis, treatment, and improved patient outcomes.
  • Addressing the historical underrepresentation of women in clinical trials is vital to mitigate gender bias in cardiovascular research and clinical practice.

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