Heart Attack Study Finds Frail Men Face Higher Death Risk

Pioneering research challenges 'one-size-fits-all' approach to heart attack care, revealing a 'sex-frailty paradox'

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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A groundbreaking new study involving over 900,000 patients has found that while severe frailty is more common in women following a heart attack, the actual risk of dying within one year is significantly higher for frail men. The research, led by the University of Leicester and funded by the NIHR and British Heart Foundation, challenges current risk assessments and highlights the need for sex-informed care pathways.

Why it matters

The study adds critical nuance to the debate on sex disparities in heart attack care, showing that the impact of frailty is not uniform but significantly modified by sex. This creates a complex picture where women face inequalities in access to care, but frail men face a 'malignant' prognosis that current standard treatments are failing to address.

The details

The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, found that while severe frailty is indeed more common in women following a heart attack, the actual risk of dying within one year is significantly higher for frail men. This suggests fundamental differences, with data indicating men are more prone to artery blockages, have a higher prevalence of diabetes and multiple diseases, and a more vulnerable cardiac state - even when receiving more intensive therapeutic care.

  • The study analyzed national data over a 15-year period.

The players

University of Leicester

The university that led the groundbreaking heart attack study.

NIHR

The National Institute for Health and Care Research that co-funded the study.

British Heart Foundation

The organization that co-funded the study through its Centre of Excellence.

Dr. Muhammad Rashid

The lead researcher from the University of Leicester's Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and Senior Clinical Research Fellow for the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre.

Dr. Hasan Mohiaddin

A co-researcher on the study from the University of Leicester.

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What they’re saying

“The study challenges current risk assessments which often treat frailty as a uniform predictor.”

— Dr. Muhammad Rashid, Lead Researcher

“Our study provides new insights into this - demonstrating that the likely impact of frailty in AMI patients is not uniform - but significantly modified by sex. In males this could be a rooted in fundamental differences with data suggesting they are more prone to artery blockages and have a higher prevalence of diabetes and multiple diseases, and a more vulnerable cardiac state. Even when they receive more intensive therapeutic care, their vulnerability and diminished physiological reserves to withstand another major cardiovascular event are low.”

— Dr. Muhammad Rashid, Lead Researcher

“However, frailty in females may represent a more multi-system decline not exclusively linked to the severity of their coronary disease. This suggests that frailty in females is a marker of accumulated disability across multiple systems rather than being driven primarily by advanced coronary disease.”

— Dr. Muhammad Rashid, Lead Researcher

What’s next

The findings could have significant clinical implications, leading researchers to call for the development and validation of new sex-specific frailty assessment tools as a priority for future research. Such tools may be better suited to identifying high-risk individuals and guiding targeted interventions for the most vulnerable patients.

The takeaway

This groundbreaking study challenges the 'one-size-fits-all' approach to heart attack care, revealing a complex 'sex-frailty paradox' where frail men face a higher risk of death, despite women often being undertreated. The findings highlight the need for sex-informed care pathways that go beyond just cardio-metabolic management and prioritize tailored interventions for the most vulnerable patients.