Women at higher risk of dying from heart disease than men

Men are more likely than women to have heart attacks, but women are at a higher risk of dying from them, according to a Canadian study released on Wednesday.

The report, Health Care in Canada 2006, was sponsored by the Canadian Institute (CIHI) for Health Information.

It also found women are at an increased risk of dying from a stroke compared with men.

"Now is the first time we know there's a difference. Now we have to go and ask the question why might this be?" said Jennifer Zelmer, vice president of research and analysis for the Canadian Institute for Health Information, which sponsored the study.

The new study found that women admitted to hospital with a new heart attack were 16 percent more likely than men to die within a month.

And women admitted to hospital after having a stroke were 11 percent more likely to die in hospital within the same period.

Overall, the study found, patients who enter the hospital after having a heart attack are more likely to survive now than in the past.

However, the survival rate of those who are admitted to hospital after having a stroke has not improved in recent years.

"Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes, continues to be among the leading causes of death and emergency hospital admissions in Canada," said Glenda Yeates, CIHI President and CEO.

"It is encouraging to see that the odds of surviving a heart attack are improving. But looking across the country, death rates vary considerably from region to region, which suggests there is an opportunity for further improvement."

Source: Xinhua/agencies