Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Sexist medicine?

Much has been written, and rightly too, that many life threatening disease seemed to be sexually biased. For example, heart attack outcomes are poorer in females and also strokes. Less females get angioplasty and CABG, when they need it. Their arteries are smaller and always prove more difficult to balloon and they also restenose easier. They tend to dissect more, and because their stent sizes are usually smaller, stent restenosis rates in females are also higher. When females do present with heart attack symptoms, the symptoms tend to be less typical, and diagnosis often take longer, due to their atypical presentation. Females with diabetes, and hypertension, also do less well. The waiting list for surgery for females also seem to be longer. There are less females enrolled in clinical trials for drugs,and so less drug information is available for females. We know that for their smaller body size, some drugs dosages may have to be reduced for females. Generally, at least from what we know in USA, less females are cared for under their healthcare system. But for all that bad bews, females live longer. The life expectancy for females in Malaysia, is higher than males. I am not sure how to explain that. It would appear that for all those disadvantages, God has protected them better and so they live longer. Is medicine sexist? Well, you decide?

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