Comparative Study of Heart Failure by Gender at The Abidjan Cardiology Institute

Heart failure (HF) differs significantly between men and women in Africa, but data from Côte d’Ivoire are scarce. This retrospective study analyzed 1,211 patients hospitalized at the Institute of Cardiology of Abidjan (2015–2018). Men (61%) were older (56.2±15 vs. 52.7±19 years; p=0.003) and had higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and in-hospital mortality. Women exhibited higher heart rates, systolic blood pressure, and hypokalemia but had better in-hospital outcomes. Poor prognostic factors in men included advanced age, ischemic heart disease, and hyponatremia, while NYHA stage III-IV predicted worse outcomes in women. Ischemic cardiomyopathy was the leading cause in men, whereas dilated cardiomyopathy predominated in women. These findings highlight the need for gender-specific strategies to improve HF management in Côte d’Ivoire.