Clinical characteristics and angiographic findings of women undergoing coronary angiography in Babylon Governorate, Iraq

Introduction: The incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is rising among women, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia, with many women currently undergoing coronary interventions for various indications. Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the coronary angiographic findings and clinical characteristics of women undergoing coronary angiography in Babylon, Iraq. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted at Shaheed Al-Mihrab Cardiac Center in Babylon, Iraq, for the period from January 2023 to December 2024. A total of 480 women undergoing coronary angiography were included in this study. Results: Unstable angina accounted for 34.6% of cases, chronic coronary syndrome for 27.2%, and myocardial infarction for both non-ST and ST segments for 14.9%. Hypertension was found in 69.7% of women, diabetes in 64.3%, and dyslipidemia in 21%. Obesity was found in 27% of women and overweight in 46%. Chronic kidney disease was found in 4.2%. Coronary angiography revealed single-vessel disease (SVD) in 36.2%, double-vessel disease in 16.6%, and three-vessel disease in 15.2%. Echocardiography showed a normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function in 68.3%, mild LV systolic dysfunction in 14.9%, moderate LV systolic dysfunction in 7.8%, and severe LV systolic dysfunction in 9%. Conclusion: Women over the age of 45 years are more likely to have CAD, with unstable angina and chronic coronary syndrome being the most common reasons for coronary angiography. The most common angiographic finding in female patients is SVD. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are prominent risk factors for CAD in women.