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Gender Bias Trends in Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy

  • Women + Heart Disease (J Robinson, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy for primary prevention in patients with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular systolic function less than 35 % has a known benefit in preventing sudden cardiac death. Despite evidence-based practice guidelines including class I recommendations from major cardiology associations, many eligible patients are not receiving ICDs. Furthermore, there is an apparent gender-based disparity such that women are receiving ICDs far less than men. This is evident from review of data regarding ICD utilization over the last 10 years. The advent of programs such as GWTG-HF and IMPROVE-HF has improved monitoring and adherence to guideline-based therapy. However, review of recent temporal trends in ICD use in eligible patients has revealed that while overall utilization has improved and the gender gap has been significantly narrowed, a gender-based disparity still persists. This review outlines gender disparities in ICD therapy, temporal trends, and future endeavors to further address the differences.

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Conflict of Interest

Gregg Fonarow has served as a consultant for Medtronic, Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Takeda and The Medicines Company. Gregg Fonarow is employed at Eliot Corday Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine and Science and the Ahmanson-Foundation. Gregg Fonarow has received grants from AHRQ, NIH and Ahmanson Foundation. Sheila Sahni declares no conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Sheila Sahni & Gregg C. Fonarow

  2. Eliot Corday Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Science, Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center, UCLA Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 LeConte Ave A2-237 CHS, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1679, USA

    Gregg C. Fonarow

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  1. Sheila Sahni
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  2. Gregg C. Fonarow
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Correspondence to Gregg C. Fonarow.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Women + Heart Disease

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Sahni, S., Fonarow, G.C. Gender Bias Trends in Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 8, 375 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-014-0375-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-014-0375-8

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