Bundle Branch Block and Benefit from Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Heart failure is a common chronic disease caused by reduced pump function. Treatment is expensive and the mortality rate is high, particularly in women. One cause is the nonsynchronous contraction of the heart muscle. This can be corrected with cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) via a pacemaker. This study found that, compared to men, women had a lower threshold criterion for CRT; benefited more from CRT, including fewer symptoms and a lower mortality rate; were offered CRT less frequently than men; and were underrepresented in clinical trials with no mention of gender-specific outcomes.