Sex-specific angiographic findings and clinical features in patients with myocardial infarction

The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare coronary angiography findings and angina pain patterns based on sex in patients with myocardial infarction. The focused and precise evaluation of gender differences in coronary angiography findings is limited, and this research seeks to bridge this gap. The present study is a cross-sectional study conducted on 341 patients with myocardial infarction at the Bushehr Heart Center, Iran. Simple random sampling was used as the sampling method. Data collection utilized demographic and clinical information forms, a researcher-made chest pain assessment checklist, and an angiography report checklist. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, and logistic regression were employed using SPSS 22 software. A significance level of 0.05 was considered for all analyses. The mean age of men was 56.89 ± 11.03 years, and the mean age of women was 59.14 ± 12.07 years. Angiography findings indicated that stenosis in the Mid-LCX (left Circumflex) artery is more prevalent in women than in men (OR = 4.867, p-value = 0.038). No significant differences were observed between genders in other angiography findings (p-value > 0.05). The mean intensity of pain scores in men (6.30 ± 1.80) was higher than in women (6.00 ± 1.91) (p-value = 0.141). Among demographic variables, maternal family history had a significant association with stenosis in LAD (Left Anterior Descending) and LCX arteries (p-value > 0.05). Additionally, blood group A negative had a significant association with stenosis in LAD (p-value = 0.001). The present study demonstrated that stenosis in small coronary vessels, such as Mid-LCX, is more prevalent in women than in men. Additionally, this study showed that most typical features of chest pain were similar between men and women. Moreover, individuals with blood groups A and B and a family history of heart disease on the maternal side exhibited the highest manifestations of coronary artery stenosis. Therefore, healthcare providers should consider risk factor classification, early intervention, and appropriate preventive measures for individuals with coronary artery disease.