Women with type 2 diabetes mellitus are far more likely to die from coronary heart disease than men with diabetes, according to a meta-analysis of 37 prospective cohort studies. In fact, after excluding eight studies that adjusted only for age, the pooled ratio of the relative risks for women compared with men was 1.46 (1.14–1.88).

Researchers from Australia also calculated the rate of fatal coronary heart disease to be more than three times higher in people with type 2 diabetes than in those without (5.4% vs. 1.6%, respectively).

It's still unknown whether the disparity between the sexes is because women have more adverse cardiovascular risk profiles at the outset, whether diabetes induces a more unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile in women, whether women are treated less aggressively than men, or because of some other reason.

Huxley R, Barzi F, Woodward M. Excess risk of fatal coronary heart disease associated with diabetes in men and women: meta-analysis of 37 prospective cohort studies. BMJ. 2006;332:73-78.