Coronary artery disease and women: applying the guidelines for risk factor management.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death for women. In large part because of increased age at presentation and a greater frequency of concomitant morbidities, women who develop CAD have a poorer prognosis than do men. Although the long term outcome of revascularization procedures is good, the associated procedural morbidity and mortality in women is high. More emphasis should be placed on the primary and secondary prevention of CAD in women. Although women respond well to risk factor modification, including lipid-lowering therapies, recent data indicate that their awareness of risk factors and prevention strategies is poor. Physician risk factor assessment and adherence to current guideline recommendations are essential in preventing the development or progression of CAD in women.