Gender Differences in Utilization of Specialized Heart Failure Clinics

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) affects men and women equally, yet care disparities persist.
• Understanding gender-based differences in HF care is crucial for equitable treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gender disparities in patient profiles, diagnostic testing, medication, and referrals within Ontario's specialized multidisciplinary ambulatory HF clinics.
• To evaluate the management of heart failure (HF) patients based on gender.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 884 patients from 9 randomly selected HF clinics in Ontario.
• Data abstraction included demographics, comorbidities, diagnostics, medications, and referrals over one year.
• Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used to compare gender differences.

Main Results:

• Women (35.5%) were older, had better systolic function, worse functional status, and different comorbidity profiles than men.
• No significant gender differences were found in echocardiographic assessments or evidence-based medication prescription rates.
• Men were more likely to be referred for electrophysiology studies; cardiac rehabilitation and dietary counseling referrals were low for both genders.

Conclusions:

• Specialized HF clinics enroll more men than women.
• Despite clinical differences, patient management appears similar between genders in these clinics.
• The low enrollment of women in ambulatory HF clinics requires further investigation.