Women with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease have a higher risk of heart failure than men, with a significant gender interaction between heart failure risk and risk factor management: a retrospective registry study.

INTRODUCTION

Women are generally perceived to have a lower risk of cardiovascular events than men, despite a lack of data, particularly among patients with diabetes. Here, we investigated gender differences in the risk of heart failure (HF) events in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD). We also assessed the association between cardiovascular risk factor management and HF events.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This retrospective registry study enrolled consecutive patients with both type 2 diabetes and CAD, based on angiography records and medical charts at 70 teaching hospitals in Japan, from January 2005 to December 2015.

RESULTS

The registry included 7785 patients with a mean follow-up period of 1328 days. The mean age of the patients was 67.6 years. The risk of hospitalization for HF in patients with both type 2 diabetes and CAD was significantly higher among women than among men (HR, 1.26, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.50). The relationship between HF risk and achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and systolic blood pressure, but not hemoglobin A, differed between women and men, with statistically significant interactions (p=0.009 and p=0.043, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with type 2 diabetes and CAD have a higher risk of HF than men. A significant gender interaction was observed in the association between HF risk and risk factor management, particularly regarding LDL-c and systolic blood pressure. The effectiveness of risk factor management may differ between men and women regarding HF prevention among patients with type 2 diabetes and CAD.