WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- U.S. women are significantly less likely than men to have their LDL "bad" cholesterol controlled to recommended levels, a government study has found.
The study by the National Committee for Quality Assurance analyzed data from a national sample of 46 commercial managed care plans and 148 Medicare plans across 11 Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set measures of care for cardiovascular conditions and diabetes.
The results, controlled for other factors such as age, income and ethnicity, showed equal or better outcomes for women on most dimensions of care -- with the exception of cholesterol control, according to the study published in the May/June edition of Women's Health Issues.
Fifty-five percent of white men with recent cardiac events met the recommended lipid control level, compared with 46 percent for white women, 45 percent for African-American men and 34 percent for African-American women.
The findings suggest women and their healthcare providers underestimate the risks of high cholesterol and heart disease, leading to poorer cholesterol control among women, according to the researchers.
