Gender- and age-related differences in treatment and control of cardiovascular risk factors among high-risk patients with angina.

Dyslipidemic, hypertensive patients (N=48,863) were stratified by gender, age, and angina (n=2502) vs. nonangina (n=46,358) status. Comparing 95% confidence intervals yielded significant differences in treatment and cardiovascular risk factor control between subgroups. More men than women bad low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 130 mg/dL (angina, 27.68-27.72 vs. 23.91-23.93; nonangina, 38.70-38.70 vs. 35.38-35.39). Women were less likely than men to receive statins (angina, 69.95-69.99 vs. 82.11-82.13; nonangina, 59.80-59.80 vs. 63.72-63.72), any antilipidemic medication at all (angina, 25.93-25.97 vs. 13.48-13.48; nonangina, 36.73-36.73 vs. 30.73-30.73), or to have current cholesterol measurements (angina, 56.82-56.88 vs. 34.54-34.56; nonangina, 45.77-45.77 vs. 39.75-39.75). Primary care providers treat high-risk patients relatively aggressively; however, opportunities to forestall cardiovascular disease may be missed in hypertensive, dyslipidemic women whose LDL-C is often not measured and controlled.