Women and coronary heart disease

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the commonest single cause of death in Britain. It has traditionally been considered a 'man's' disease and up to the age of 65 years the risk of dying from CHD is 3.5 times greater for men than women.1 However, after this age the risk is the same for both sexes and each year about 67 000 women, as well as 80 000 men, die from the disease.2 We evaluate the gender differences in risk factors, mortality, morbidity and treatment.