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from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS)

A psychological review of the large-scale study of cardiac illness, researchers commented both gender and racial factors related to treatment choices for cardiac emergencies.

The study, "Differential Utilization of Health Care Procedures as a Function of Race," examined the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) found that "invasive cardiac procedures such as

• cardiac catherization,
• percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and
• coronary bypass surgery (CABS)

were being used less on black patients than on white patients and less on females than on males," said Wayne H. Giles, M.D. of the Centers for Disease Control.

Among 10,348 persons hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction, White men received these procedures the most, followed by white women, black men and black women.

Age, in-hospital deaths, health insurance and hospital transfer rates were ruled out as influences to the rates of receiving these cardiac procedures.

"It is very clear from our findings that a person's race and sex greatly influenced the type of care given. The medical community needs to examine this further," concluded Dr. Giles.

This information released from the American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC.