American Heart Journal
Volume 156, Issue 6 , Pages 1210-1216.e1 , December 2008

Sex differences in patients seeking medical attention for prodromal symptoms before an acute coronary event

  • Michelle M. Graham, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Michelle M. Graham, MD, Division of Cardiology, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440-112 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R7.
    • ,
  • Cynthia M. Westerhout, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • ,
  • Padma Kaul, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • ,
  • Colleen M. Norris, PhD

      Affiliations

    • the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • ,
  • Paul W. Armstrong, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
    • Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Received 16 April 2008 ,Accepted 21 July 2008.

References 

  1. Feinleib M, Simon AB, Gillum RF, et al. Prodromal symptoms and signs of sudden death. Circulation. 1975;52:III–155-III-159
  2. McSweeney JC, Cody M, O’Sullivan P, et al. Women's early warning symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Circulation. 2003;108:2619–2623
  3. Kaul P, Armstrong PW. Connecting the pieces of the cardiovascular care puzzle in Canada. Can J Cardiol. 2003;19:1114–1115
  4. McSweeney JC, O’Sullivan P, Cody M, et al. Development of the McSweeney Acute and prodromal myocardial infarction symptom survey. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2004;19:58–67
  5. McSweeney JC, Crane PB. Challenging the rules: women's prodromal and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction. Res Nurs Health. 2000;23:135–146
  6. Feil H. Preliminary pain in coronary thrombosis. Am J Med Sci. 1937;193:42
  7. Nixon PGF, Bethell HJN. Preinfarction ill health. Am J Cardiol. 1974;33:446–449
  8. Hofgren C, Karlson BW, Herlitz J. Prodromal symptoms in subsets of patients hospitalized for suspected acute myocardial infarction. Heart Lung. 1995;24:3–10
  9. DeVon HA, Zerwic JJ. The symptoms of unstable angina: do women and men differ?. Nurs Res. 2003;52:108–118
  10. Crane PB, McSweeney JC. Exploring older women's lifestyle changes after myocardial infarction. Medsurg Nurs. 2003;12:170–176
  11. Chang WC, Kaul P, Westerhout CM, et al. Impact of sex on long-term mortality from acute myocardial infarction versus unstable angina. Arch Intern Med. 2003;163:2476–2484
  12. Gibler WB, Armstrong PW, Ohman EM, et al. Persistence of delays in presentation and treatment for patients with acute myocardial infarction: the GUSTO-I and GUSTO-III experience. Ann Emerg Med. 2002;39:123–130
  13. Goldberg RJ, Gurwitz JH, Gore JM. Duration and temporal trends (1994-1997) in pre-hospital delay in patients with acute myocardial infarction; the second National Registry of Myocardial Infarction. Arch Intern Med. 2002;159:2141–2147
  14. Heer T, Schiele R, Schneider S, et al. Gender differences in acute myocardial infarction in the era of reperfusion (the MITRA registry). Am J Cardiol. 2002;89:511–517
  15. Leizorovicz A, Hauagh MC, Mercier C, et al. Pre-hospital and hospital time delays in thrombolytic treatment in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. Analysis of data from the EMIP study. Eur Heart J. 1997;18:248–253
  16. Maynard C, Beshansky JR, Griffith JL, et al. Influence of sex on the use of cardiac procedures in patients presenting to the emergency department. A prospective multicentre study. Cirucaltion. 1996;94:I93–I98
  17. Meischke H, Eisenberg MS, Larsen MP. Prehospital delay interval for patients who use emergency medical services: the effect of heart-related medical conditions and demographic variables. Ann Emerg Med. 1993;22:1597–1601
  18. Sheifer SE, Rathore SS, Gersh BJ, et al. Time to presentation with acute myocardial infarction in the elderly: associations with race, sex and socioeconomic characteristics. Circulation. 2000;102:1651–1656
  19. Zerwic JJ, Ryan CJ, DeVon HA, et al. Treatment seeking delay for acute myocardial infarction symptoms: differences in delay across sex and race. Nurs Res. 2003;52:159–167
  20. Martin R, Lemos C, Rothrock N, et al. Gender disparities in common sense models of illness among myocardial infarction victims. Health Psychol. 2004;23:345–353
  21. Moser DK, McKinley S, Dracup K, et al. Gender differences in reasons patients delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction symptoms. Patient Educ Couns. 2005;56:45–54

 Analyses for this article were supported by an operating grant (MOP-62864) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). Dr Kaul is supported by a CIHR New Investigator award and an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Population Health Investigator award.Dr. Norris is supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award.

PII: S0002-8703(08)00649-2

doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2008.07.016

American Heart Journal
Volume 156, Issue 6 , Pages 1210-1216.e1 , December 2008

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution