Monday, April 4, 2:30-3:30 PM

The Institute of Medicine and the FDA have both taken steps to ensure women are accurately represented in research trials. While progress has been made, there are still gaps. For example, a recent study in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that a significant number of FDA-approved devices were approved using studies that did not contain a proportionally equal number of women. Researchers found a lack of documentation about gender bias in the studies, which is required by the FDA.

Women with coronary artery disease (CAD) present a particularly vexing challenge for cardiologists. Women present differently with symptoms; their atherosclerosis manifests differently in the arteries; and there are disparities in care. In this session, cases will be presented and panelists will discuss how best to diagnose the problem. It's a good way for any cardiologist to become more informed about women and their special needs when it comes to coronary disease.

• Patricia K. Nguyen, MD, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. -- Case Presenter
• Laura J. Collins, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas – panelist
• Elyse Foster, MD, University of California, San Francisco – panelist
• Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, New York – panelist
• Padmini Varadarajan, MD, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Los Angeles – panelist