Are Women Missing Out on Clot Busting Drugs?
Overview Clot busting drugs are not recommended for everyone who has a heart attack. When patients arrive at the emergency department they are assessed to see whether they should be treated with clot busters. Even when women are deemed candidates for clot busting medications, they are less likely to receive them than men.13 Some researchers suggest that there is no gender bias and that the difference is because women are more likely to be borderline candidates for clot busters than men.14 In some studies, when factors such as older age and other medical conditions were considered, there was little difference between men and women. However, an analysis of nine large studies on clot busting drugs found that many older, sicker patients benefit from these medications.1 Black women are significantly less likely to be treated with clot busting drugs than white men, even after accounting for factors such as age and other medical problems. Treatment Delays in the Hospital Clot busters work bes
