Editorial, J Womens Health Issues Care Vol: 2 Issue: 2
Women in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials
Wesley T. O’Neal1, Taylor E. Edwards1, Chelsea S. DiMartino1 and Jimmy T. Efird1,2* | |
1Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, East Carolina Heart Institute, Greenville, NC, USA | |
2Center for Health Disparities Research, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA | |
Corresponding author : Jimmy T. Efird Center for Health Disparities Research, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, 115 Heart Drive, Greenville, NC 27834, USA Tel: +1 650 248 8282; Fax: +1 252 744 5539 E-mail: jimmy.efird@stanfordalumni.org |
|
Received: March 11, 2013 Accepted: March 12, 2013 Published: March 15, 2013 | |
Citation: O’Neal et al. (2013) Women in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials. J Womens Health, Issues Care 2:2 doi: 10.4172/2325-9795.1000e106 |
Abstract
Women in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials
Between 1980 and 2000, the age-adjusted death rate due to coronary heart disease (CHD) decreased by 48%. The optimization of medical therapies (OMT) and revascularization procedures such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has accounted for 50% of the decline. While mortality rates for CHD have not declined equally for men and women, recent randomized clinical trials have not addressed gender differences regarding the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Historically, women have been underrepresented in clinical trials of cardiovascular disease.