ABSTRACT
Heart disease and stroke ultimately kill more women than men. The gender difference lies in the disparate ages at which these conditions develop.1 For men, heart disease, is a disease of middle age, with a steep rise in incidence begining in the sixth decade. Women, on the other hand, traditionally developed heart disease at older ages, the reasons for which remain obscure. This older age of presentation for women leads to a considerable distortion in the understanding of the disease process as well as its assessment and treatment, resulting in a poor representation of women in clinical trials of cardiac treatment and an underutilization of treatment strategies to improve the quality and increase the length of their lives. This chapter discusses specific issues relating to older women with coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, assessment strategies, and responses to treatment.
