Gender Differences in Coronary Heart Disease Risk in Chronic, Non-Diabetic Patients with Schizophrenia

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death and disability for both men and women in the United States. Not surprisingly, recent research has examined gender differences in CHD risk. Though patients with schizophrenia are at an elevated risk for CHD compared to the general population, studies have not examined the gender differences in CHD risk among populations with schizophrenia. Methods: Data were analyzed from 86 non-diabetic subjects with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The Framingham Heart Study's prediction algorithm was used to estimate the 10-year and relative risk for CHD. Univariate ANOVA analyses were conducted. Results: The risk of developing CHD over the course of 10 years was significantly higher in men compared to women (F =10.69, p =.002); the relative risk of CHD was also significantly elevated for men compared to women (F = 11.28, p =.001). Conclusions: The risk of developing CHD was higher among men with schizophrenia than among women. One explanation for this difference could be the better course of illness for women with schizophrenia which could serve as a protective factor in terms of CHD. Women may also need to be closely monitored after menopause as their risk of CHD may increase. CHD risk factors should be monitored as part of routine care for patients with schizophrenia and implications for monitoring CHD among this particular population are discussed.