GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PATIENTS REFERRED FOR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY PROCEDURES

Gender differences are prevalent in cardiology and particularly in pat ients who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery and percutaneo us transluminal coronary angioplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine whether similar gender differences are present in electroph ysiology. Eight hundred seventy-three patients were identified from th e ''EP Manager'' database over approximately a two-year period at Nort h Shore University Hospital. Overall, the majority of patients referre d for invasive electrophysiology procedures were men (67 percent). A h igher percentage of men had coronary disease despite the type of study /implant. There was a relatively equal distribution of men and women w ho underwent head-up tilt table testing (47 and 53 percent respectivel y). We conclude that gender differences are present in electrophysiolo gy studies and that further studies are necessary to determine whether a bias exists in this field.