[Ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias in women]

There are few gender-related differences in electrophysiology regarding occurrence, clinical symptoms and prognosis of arrhythmias. Women tend to have higher incidence of sinus tachycardia and atrio-ventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia. Atrial fibrillation is more frequent among men, but women have worse prognosis as their mortality is higher, "rhythm control" strategy is less favorable and the thromboembolic risk is greater. Ventricular arrhythmias are less common in women and their significance is smaller. As women have longer QTc interval and torsade de pointes is typical women's arrhythmia, physicians must be very careful ordering QT-elongating drugs. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is seldom background for ventricular tachycardia and women with CHD and arrhythmias have better prognosis than men. Sex hormones play important role in women's electrophysiology. Pregnancy increase risk of supraventricular tachycardia and decrease occurrence of torsade de pointes.