Women experience different patterns of emotional and functional recovery after a cardiac event compared to men, including earlier resumption of household activities and higher disruption in functional activities.
Instruments used to measure emotional and functional outcomes of coronary heart disease show a fairly high level of consistency. Scores on depression scales are typically higher in women than men, yet this finding must be balanced with data showing that mean scores for depression are low. Both sexes report moderate levels of anxiety after a cardiac event; however, global mental health is rated as relatively high. Women report lower levels of physical activity and higher levels of disruption in functional activities than men. Women also report resuming household activities early in their recovery, a finding most likely reflective of traditional role responsibilities. Last, for both sexes, emotional distress and functional disability decrease over time and appear to be stable by 6 months after the event.
Kathleen King (2001) studied this question.