Despite improvements in mortality rates, coronary heart disease (CHD) continues to be a leading cause of death in the UK. It has a long-standing reputation as a ‘male disease’, and although there has been an increased interest in and awareness of the disease, CHD in women remains understudied, under-diagnosed and undertreated. This article discusses the apparent disparity in pathophysiology, symptom presentation, risk factor profile, assessment, management and outcomes between men and women in relation to CHD and acute coronary syndrome, which is an acute manifestation of CHD.
Nursing Standard. 31, 40, 51-62. doi: 10.7748/ns.2017.e10818
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 23 January 2017
Accepted: 14 February 2017
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