Gender-related features of risk factors for, and age- and gender-related differences in the severity and genesis of chronic heart failure

AIM: To analyze the gender-related features of the prevalence of chronic heart failure (CHF) in Azerbaijan and to estimate the detection rate and risk factors of this condition in inpatients on the basis of a retrospective follow-up study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1824 case histories of CHF patients admitted with a CHF diagnosis to the Azerbaijan Research Institute of Cardiology in 2013 were analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of CHF is 51.4% among the patients admitted to the Azerbaijan Research Institute of Cardiology. The major etiological factors of CHF are ischemic heart disease (IHD) and hypertension in 79.9% of the. There are gender-related differences in the pattern of cardiovascular diseases in the patients with CHF: IHD (prior myocardial infarction) and hypertension are more common in men and women, respectively. The incidence of CHF was 56.8% among the men; it was registered in them 1.3-fold more often than in the women; 41% of the patients with CHF were older than 60 years. CHF with a left ventricular ejection fraction of < 45% was diagnosed in 84% of the patients. Among the patients with CHF and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, the number of women rose up to 22%, which was twice higher than that for the men. CONCLUSION: Substantial differences were found in the etiology of CHF in men and women, as well as in patients of different ages.