Related Experiment Videos
Relative risk of factors for coronary heart disease in population with low cholesterol levels
1Turkish Society of Cardiology, Istanbul University.
Insights
Hypertension and physical inactivity are key coronary heart disease risk factors in Turkish adults, even with low cholesterol. These factors, along with hypertriglyceridemia and obesity, are crucial for cardiovascular disease prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors may differ in populations with generally low cholesterol levels.
- Understanding these variations is crucial for targeted cardiovascular disease prevention, particularly in developing nations.
- Previous research often focuses on industrialized populations, potentially overlooking unique risk profiles elsewhere.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the odds ratios of seven leading risk variables for coronary heart disease (CHD) in a Turkish adult population.
- To identify the most significant risk factors for CHD in a population characterized by low cholesterol concentrations.
- To inform cardiovascular disease prevention strategies for non-industrialized populations.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional, population-based study of 3689 Turkish adults (≥20 years).
- CHD diagnosis based on medical history, cardiovascular examination, and Minnesota ECG coding.
- Assessed risk factors: high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
Main Results:
- Hypertension and physical inactivity were the most significant CHD risk factors for both men and women across all age groups.
- Odds ratios for hypertension were 3.16 (men) and 2.6 (women); for physical inactivity, 2.16 (men) and 3.49 (women).
- Hypertriglyceridemia, obesity (women), diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia showed varying significance by sex and age group; smoking was borderline significant in men.
Conclusions:
- Hypertension and physical inactivity are critical modifiable risk factors for CHD in this Turkish population, irrespective of baseline cholesterol levels.
- Findings suggest distinct CHD risk profiles compared to industrialized nations, emphasizing the need for context-specific prevention policies.
- Public health initiatives should prioritize addressing hypertension and promoting physical activity for cardiovascular health in similar populations.
Abstract:
We studied the odds ratios of seven leading risk variables in a population essentially having a 'low' cholesterol concentration. In a cross-sectional population-based study of 3689 Turkish adults 20 years of age or over, 90 men and 83 women were diagnosed to have definite or suspected coronary heart disease. The criteria were based on history, cardiovascular examination and on Minnesota coding of electrocardiograms. Potential risk factors studied were: plasma total cholesterol (> or = 240 mg/dl), fasting triglycerides (> or = 200 mg/dl), diabetes mellitus, hypertension (asystolic > or = 160 mmHg, diastolic > or = 95 mmHg, or both, or subjects reporting to take antihypertensive medication), smoking currently or in the past, obesity (body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2), and physical inactivity. Hypertension and lack of physical exercise constituted the most important risk factors in both sexes being valid for all age groups and having high attributable risks; odds ratios in men and women, respectively, were 3.16 and 2.6 for hypertension, and 2.16 and 3.49 for physical inactivity. Hypertriglyceridemia followed these factors in men with an odds ratio of 2.15. In women an additional significant factor was obesity (odds ratio 1.76), while diabetes and hypercholesterolemia revealed to be significant only in those aged 20-59 years, and smoking in women aged 30-59 years. Among men, smoking was a borderline significant risk factor for coronary disease, whereas hypercholesterolemia did not prove to be so. These findings, somewhat at variance with those of industrialized nations, may have significance for policy of cardiovascular disease prevention in third-world populations.