Gender Differences in Clinical Presentation, Healthcare-Seeking Behavior, and Management of Supraventricular Tachycardia Among Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation in a Lower–Middle-Income Country

Abstract

Objectives: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a common cardiac arrhythmia originating at or above the atrioventricular node and is characterized by a narrow QRS complex and rapid heart rate. This study aimed to assess gender differences in clinical presentation, healthcare-seeking behavior, management patterns, and outcomes among patients undergoing catheter ablation for SVT. Methodology: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary-care cardiac center in Karachi, Pakistan, between November 2022 and May 2023. Adult patients (≥18 years) who underwent successful catheter ablation for SVT were enrolled. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire capturing demographic characteristics, symptom profiles, treatment delays, compliance with antiarrhythmic drugs, and patient preferences regarding physician gender. Results: A total of 198 patients were included, of whom 68.2% were women and 31.8% were men. Women were significantly older than men and reported a higher burden of symptoms, including shortness of breath and dizziness. Despite this, women experienced substantially longer delays from symptom onset to first medical consultation and from electrophysiology evaluation to catheter ablation. Affordability and family-related factors contributed to delayed care among women. Medication adherence differed markedly by gender, with high compliance among women and poor adherence among men. Most patients reported no preference regarding the gender of the treating physician. Conclusion: Significant gender disparities exist in the management of SVT, with women experiencing greater delays in diagnosis and definitive treatment despite more severe symptomatology. Addressing sociocultural and systemic barriers to timely care may improve equity and outcomes for patients with SVT in resource-limited settings.