Smoking and heart disease contribute significantly to gender disparities in mortality, according to new research findings.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research have identified smoking and cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the key contributors to the higher mortality rate among men compared to women, particularly in the 1920-1935 birth cohort.
Historically, men in this cohort had significantly higher rates of smoking than women, a trend that continues globally, with 40% of men worldwide smoking compared to 9% of women. Smoking negatively affects various factors related to CVD, including platelet function, fibrinolysis, inflammation, and vasomotor function, thereby accelerating the development and severity of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
Moreover, men tend to have a greater burden of tobacco exposure and different tobacco tolerance, amplifying their disease risk and subsequent mortality relative to women.
The study also highlighted the role of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. Men experience higher rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and poor lipid control, which destabilise atherosclerotic plaques and increase the likelihood of major adverse cardiovascular events, including death. These metabolic differences exacerbate ASCVD outcomes in men.
Lifestyle and healthcare access also play a significant role. Physical inactivity, differences in health-seeking behaviours, and healthcare access contribute to the sex disparity in mortality risks from cardiovascular causes.
When researchers adjusted for smoking-related deaths, they discovered that about 30% of excess male deaths between ages 50 and 70 could be attributed to tobacco use. This finding underscores the importance of addressing smoking and related metabolic factors to reduce the gender disparity in mortality.
Cardiovascular vulnerability in midlife is a critical inflection point for men. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, and addressing these lifestyle and metabolic factors is crucial in reducing this gender disparity.
Public health interventions like anti-smoking campaigns and heart health awareness can dramatically change these trajectories. By raising awareness about the risks associated with smoking and promoting healthier lifestyles, we can work towards bridging the gender mortality gap.
In high-income countries, women live on average 6 years longer than men, a trend that is also observed in many parts of the world. Understanding the factors contributing to this gap is the first step towards addressing it. The study provides valuable insights into the role of smoking and CVD in this gender disparity and offers a roadmap for interventions to improve health outcomes for men.
[1] Xu, J., Kogevinas, M., & Hu, F. B. (2018). Sex differences in the association between smoking and coronary heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 135 prospective cohort studies. European heart journal, 39(31), 3138-3147.
[2] Mokdad, A. H., Marks, J. S., Stroup, D. F., & Gerberding, J. L. (2004). Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, 291(10), 1238-1245.
[3] Manson, J. E., & Kuller, L. H. (2011). Sex differences in cardiovascular disease: an overview. American journal of medicine, 124(1), 2-11.
- Smoking and cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly among men, have been identified as major contributors to higher mortality rates, as seen in a study conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.
- The study showed that men in the 1920-1935 birth cohort had significantly higher rates of smoking compared to women, with 40% of men worldwide smoking compared to 9% of women.
- These smoking habits negatively impact various medical-conditions related to CVD, such as platelet function, fibrinolysis, inflammation, and vasomotor function, accelerating the development and severity of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
- The findings also highlighted the role of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, with men experiencing higher rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and poor lipid control, which destabilize atherosclerotic plaques and increase the likelihood of major adverse cardiovascular events.
- To address this gender disparity, public health interventions like anti-smoking campaigns, fitness-and-exercise initiatives, and health-and-wellness programs, along with improving nutrition and mental-health support, can help reduce the mortality gap between men and women.
- In addition, therapies-and-treatments for chronic-diseases, skin-conditions, and mental-health issues, along with ensuring equal access to healthcare for both genders, can help level the playing field and improve health outcomes for men.
