Metabolites · 4 authors, 2 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This narrative review synthesizes observational evidence on gender differences in medication adherence across type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and heart failure. Being female is identified as an independent predictor of non-adherence to antidiabetic and lipid-lowering therapies, though evidence for hypertension, heart failure, and stroke remains limited and conflicting.
This narrative review synthesizes findings from observational studies examining sex and gender differences in medication adherence across five chronic disease areas: type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and heart failure. In hypercholesterolemia, women showed poorer adherence to statin therapy compared to men, with side effects and patient perception as contributing factors. Results for antihypertensive therapy adherence were conflicting across studies. Limited evidence suggested poorer adherence in women after acute myocardial infarction and stroke, while heart failure findings were inconsistent. The authors identify multifactorial reasons for sex disparities, including biological, psychosocial, socioeconomic, and treatment-related factors. Limitations include the reliance on observational data, scarcity of studies for certain conditions, and the absence of definitive conclusions for several disease areas. The review emphasizes the need for intervention studies with gender-centered designs.
