Tackling coronary heart disease

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Tackling coronary heart disease
BMJ 2001; 323 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7320.1016 (Published 03 November 2001)
Cite this as: BMJ 2001;323:1016
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A gender sensitive approach is needed
Alan White, senior lecturer in nursing ([email protected]), Lesley Lockyer, research fellow ([email protected])
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Coronary heart disease is the commonest cause of death in the United Kingdom, with marked gender differences in incidence, presentation, referral, recovery, and rehabilitation.1–6 Current policy on coronary heart disease is written in gender neutral language at a time when treatment has been moving towards a more behavioural model, where cardiac rehabilitation is a therapeutic option and changing cardiac health behaviour a major objective. Given the importance of this there is a need for health strategy that is gender sensitive.

The government views the national service framework for coronary heart disease as its “blueprint” for tackling heart disease.7 It lays out 12 standards and sets out services that should be available throughout England. Although the framework acknowledges gender differences, there is no clear recognition in the guidelines of how these are to be addressed.