Gender Disparities in the Treatment and Control of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes
- Ioanna Gouni-Berthold, MD (ioanna.berthold{at}uni-koeln.de)1,
- Heiner K. Berthold, MD, PhD2,
- Christos S. Mantzoros, MD3,
- Michael Böhm, MD4 and
- Wilhelm Krone, MD1
- 1Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Cologne, Germany
- 2University of Bonn, Clinical Pharmacology, Germany
- 3Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 4Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Homburg/Saar, Germany
Abstract
Objective To assess whether gender differences exist in the effective control and medication treatment intensity of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
Research Design and Methods Cross-sectional analysis including 44,893 patients with type 2 diabetes (51% women). Endpoints included uncontrolled CVD risk factors [LDL-C ≥130 mg/dl; systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg; and hemoglobin-A1c (HbA1c) ≥8%] and the intensity of medical management in patients with uncontrolled CVD risk factors. Multiple-adjusted odds ratios were calculated after stratification for the presence of CVD (present in 39% of the patients).
Results Women with CVD were less likely to have SBP, LDL-C and HbA1c controlled and less likely to receive intensive lipid-lowering treatment. Women without CVD were less likely than men to have LDL-C controlled with no differences in SBP or HbA1c control.
Conclusions Women with diabetes and CVD have poorer control of important modifiable risk factors compared to men and receive less intensified lipid-lowering treatment.
Footnotes
-
- Received January 29, 2008.
- Accepted March 25, 2008.
- Copyright © American Diabetes Association
