Gender difference in heart tests

A study into oxygen uptake (VO2) tests on female heart failure patients has shown that women tend to have lower maximum exercise VO2 levels than men.

The results suggest that analysis of the VO2 tests, which establish how well the heart muscle is delivering oxygen to the muscles, should have a different cut off point for men and women.

Gender differences in the tests could allow physicians to avoid more advanced surgery for some female patients.

Previous studies have suggested that the outcome for women with heart failure is better than men (more survived after transplantation) and the VO2 tests are thought to be potent predictor of heart failure.

Lee Goldberg, associate director of the heart failure and transplant program at the University of Pennsylvania, where the study was carried out, said: “The physician must consider the risk of the therapy versus the risk of keeping what the patient already has.”

“If the VO2 is the main determinant for prognosis in heart failure, we need to make sure we’re using the right cut-off for both genders,” he added.

Results of the study are published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology this month, researchers point out that the findings are not definitive and more studies are required.

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