Female heart attack patients 'wait longer for treatment'

Female heart attack patients are forced to wait longer than men for treatment in Dublin's hospitals, according to research published today.

The study of patients at six Dublin hospitals found that women were medically assessed on average 30 minutes after arriving in A&E units, compared to 20 minutes for men.

It also found that women had to wait an average of 30 minutes longer than men to be admitted to dedicated care units and to receive aspirin and reperfusion therapy, which restores blood flow to the heart.

Dr Sharon O'Donnell from Trinity College Dublin, who headed the research, said better healthcare training and clinical awareness were needed to tackle the problem.