Doctors more likely to miss heart attacks in women

Women have a 50% higher chance than men of receiving the wrong initial diagnosis following a heart attack, according to a study by the University of Leeds.

Why are women more likely to be misdiagnosed?

There are two main types of heart attack, although both result in serious damage to the heart muscle:

• STEMI, when there is a total blockage of the main artery that pumps oxygenated blood around the body.

• NSTEMI, which is more common, is a partial blockage of one or more arteries.

This research found that women who had a final diagnosis of STEMI had a 59% greater chance of a misdiagnosis compared with men. Women who had a final diagnosis of NSTEMI had a 41% greater chance of a misdiagnosis when compared with men.

This is not helpful, because receiving a quick diagnosis and getting the correct treatment after a heart attack is important in ensuring the best possible recovery.

Both men and women who were misdiagnosed had about a 70% increased risk of death after 30 days compared with those who had received a consistent diagnosis.

The British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the research, is urging people to be more aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, to avoid mistakes being made in diagnosis.