[Social conditions and ischemic heart disease in the female]

In the development of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in women, there are a variety of factors which, possibly, may exert an influence. The recognition of such factors must be considered prerequisite to a preventive approach to the disease. Possible relationships between socio-economic conditions, in particular education level and occupation as well as marital status and number of children, with manifestations of IHD or presence of risk factors have been studied. Recently, results have been published from the Cottbus Prevention Study/GDR (CGPPS), the World Health Organization Project Eberbach-Wiesloch/FRG and US-American analyses (NHANES II). On evaluation of available data and assessment of the coronary risk profile in women, it should be taken into consideration that comparison is encumbered by the facts that the studies did not employ uniform definitions of socio-economic classification, risk factors and IHD and that they were subject to differing historical developments. Similar to that observed in men, arterial hypertension and overweight was seen significantly more frequently in women factory workers and rural women than in their more sophisticated counterparts. As in other studies, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in women did not differ among the socio-economic stratifications. The number of smokers was significantly higher in those at the upper levels of education than in women factory workers and rural women or office workers and housewives. There was an inverse relationship between the level of education and mean arterial blood pressure. There was no relationship, however, between income and cholesterol levels. In women working at the lower levels of employment, there was a higher incidence of IHD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)