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[Risk factors for myocardial infarct: a case-control study in Oporto, Portugal]
P von Hafe1, C Lopes, P B Fernando
1Faculdade de Medicina do Porto, Hospital de S. João, Porto, Portugal.
Insights
Male gender, family history of coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for acute myocardial infarction. Higher education levels showed a protective association against heart disease.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- Public Health Research
- Clinical Cardiology
Context:
- A case-control study was conducted in Oporto, Portugal, to investigate risk factors for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
- The study included 100 AMI patients and 198 community controls, with data collected via structured questionnaires and laboratory tests.
Purpose:
- To identify and quantify significant risk factors associated with the development of acute myocardial infarction.
- To analyze the independent contributions of various demographic and lifestyle factors to AMI risk.
Summary:
- Unconditional logistic regression identified male gender, family history of premature CHD, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, high physical activity, and smoking as significant risk factors for AMI.
- After controlling for confounding variables, male gender (OR: 17.3), family history of CHD (OR: 3.6), diabetes (OR: 4.2), high cholesterol (OR: 2.7), and smoking (OR: 7.7) remained significantly associated with AMI risk.
- A significant negative association was found between high education levels and AMI risk (OR: 0.01).
Impact:
- The findings highlight modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for acute myocardial infarction, informing public health strategies and clinical interventions.
- Identifies high-risk populations for targeted prevention programs aimed at reducing the burden of coronary heart disease.
Abstract:
A case-control study of coronary heart disease (CHD) was conducted in Oporto, Portugal. The cases series consisted of 100 consecutive patients with first time acute myocardial infarction who were admitted to the Coronary and Intermediate Care Units of a major teaching hospital. The community controls were 198 individuals without evidence of CHD by the Rose questionnaire and electrocardiography, selected by random digit dialing, with a participation rate of 70%. Data was collected by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire and blood samples were obtained for selected laboratory data. The main analysis was made through unconditional logistic regression with calculations of odds ratios (OR). Age, OR: 1.5 (95% CI: 0.8-2.9), male gender, OR: 6.7 (3.6-12.3), family history of premature CHD, OR: 2.4 (1.4-4.3), diabetes, OR: 3.4 (1.6-7.4), antecedents of hypertension, OR:1.9 (1.1-3.1), history of high cholesterol levels, OR: 2.3 (1.4-3.9), high levels of physical activity, OR: 2.0 (0.9-4.1) and tobacco smoking, OR: 8.3 (3.8-18.5) were significant risk factors of acute myocardial infarction. After controlling for demographic variables and for the mutual confounding effects of the risk factors, the investigated factors that remained significantly associated with the risk of developing acute myocardial infarction were male gender, OR: 17.3 (4.8-62.3), family history of CHD, OR: 3.6 (1.4-9.6), diabetes, OR: 4.2 (1.0-18.1), high cholesterol levels OR: 2.7 (1.2-6.1) and smoking habits, OR: 7.7 (1.8-32.4). A negative association with high education levels was significant after controlling for all the variables, OR: 0.01 (0.01-0.5).