Do men and women with atrial fibrillation need different drug doses?
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder. Men and women often differ in how and when AF appears, how it is treated, and how it affects quality of life. This raises an important question: should women and men receive different doses of common heart medications?
We studied 3961 patients with AF with and without heart failure from two large Swiss cohorts named Swiss-AF and BEAT-AF, focusing on two cardiovascular drug classes: betablockers and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors. Over the available 5-year follow-up data of the cohorts, we analyzed major cardiovascular events such as heart failure hospitalisation, heart attack, stroke, or death.
Our analysis showed:
- Drug doses (beta-blockers and RAS inhibitors) were similar in men and women.
- No link was present between higher or lower doses and better or worse outcomes in either sex.
Publication:
Sex-specific association of cardiovascular drug doses with adverse outcomes in atrial fibrillation
Sex-specific association of cardiovascular drug doses with adverse outcomes in atrial fibrillation
Why This Matters
The findings suggest that recommended maximum doses of beta-blockers and RAS inhibitors are safe for both men and women with AF. Unlike in some heart failure studies, we found no evidence that women need systematically lower doses.
This large, prospective study provides reassurance for clinicians and patients and highlights the need for continued research on sex differences in cardiovascular therapy.
This large, prospective study provides reassurance for clinicians and patients and highlights the need for continued research on sex differences in cardiovascular therapy.