Gender-related differences in the management of hypertension by cardiologists: The PARITE study

SummaryBackgroundSeveral studies have shown gender differences in the management of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases. Whether the management of hypertension by cardiologists in France differs according to patient gender has not been fully investigated.AimsThe main objective of this cross-sectional, multicentre study was to examine the management according to gender of hypertensive patients by office-based cardiologists in France.MethodsCardiologists were asked to include consecutively two men and two women attending a routine consultation for essential hypertension. Therapeutic management was evaluated by comparing cardiovascular investigations in the preceding 6 months and hypertension control according to gender and the patients’ global cardiovascular risk.ResultsOverall, data from 3440 adult patients (53% men) referred to 654 cardiologists were analysed. Hypertension was uncontrolled in 76% of both men and women and 69% were at high global cardiovascular risk (75% of men, 62% of women; P<0.001). Significantly fewer cardiovascular investigations had been performed in the preceding 6 months in women (22.6% vs 44.2% in men; P