Coronary artery disease in Iranian overweight women

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of mortality in Iran. This study aimed to evaluate coronary risk factors in Iranian overweight and obese women.

Of all overweight and obese women examined in the main heart clinic in Rasht city, Iran, between 2000 and 2003, those with angiographically approved coronary artery disease (n=180) and overweight normal coronary women (n=224) participated in this study. The subjects in both groups had body mass index above 25 kg/m(2). Data on age, educational level, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and current drug therapy were collected using questionnaires. Total serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, apoprotein B, apoprotein A1, lipoprotein (a), blood glucose, body weight, height, and waist circumference were measured in both groups.

The findings indicated that mean age (57.3+/-10.9 vs 40.3+/-10.1 p<0.0001) was significantly higher in coronary artery diseased group than normal overweight and obese subjects. Other measured risk factors including waist circumference, blood lipids and blood pressure were higher in overweight patients with coronary artery disease than overweight normal subjects. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.10-1.21) and diabetes (OR=6.31, 95% CI 1.95-20.3) were the only predictors of coronary artery disease in this population of coronary obese patients. The proportion of low educated level was remarkably higher in overweight women with coronary artery disease than normal groups.

The findings suggested that advancing age and diabetes are independent predictors for development of coronary artery disease in this group of overweight and obese Iranian women. The high proportion of low educated people in these patients with coronary artery disease implicates an important public health message for targeted preventive measures in lower social groups.