Systolic dysfunction is a predictor of long term mortality in men but not in women with heart failure

AIMS: To evaluate possible gender differences in clinical profile and outcome of patients hospitalised with heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: During 1996 a total of 1065 hospital in-patients had confirmed heart failure, with follow-up data through 2002. Women (58%) were significantly older, had higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, and lower prevalence of ischaemic heart disease, chronic pulmonary disease and alcoholism. The proportion of patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased with age, but in all age groups women had normal LVEF more frequently than men. Echocardiography was performed less frequently in females: 62% vs. 71% in men, P0.3 but women with LVEF 0.3 while men with severely depressed LVEF have a worse prognosis.