CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTOR PROFILE IN SUBJECTS WITH FAMILIAL PREDISPOSITION TO MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN DENMARK

Study objectives-To identify possible modifiable mediators of familial predisposition to myocardial infarction (MI) by assessing the risk fa ctor profile in individuals without MI in relation to parental occurre nce of MI. Design and methods-Cross sectional survey of the general po pulation. The odds of an adverse cardiovascular risk factor profile in subjects reporting parental occurrence of MI versus subjects not repo rting parental occurrence were estimated by logistic regression models . Setting-The Copenhagen Centre for Prospective Population Studies, wh ere subjects investigated in three Danish prospective population studi es are integrated.Participants-Subjects were 9306 females and 11091 ma les aged 20-75 years with no history of MI. A total of 1370 subjects r eported maternal MI and 2583 reported paternal MI. Main results-Increa sed systolic and diastolic blood pressure, increased cholesterol level , low ratio between high density lipoprotein (HDL) and total cholester ol (TC), and heavy smoking, were more frequent in subjects with parent al occurrence of MI than in controls irrespective of sex and age of th e subjects. Maternal MI was more predictive for increased cholesterol and decreased HDL/TC ratio than paternal MI, and the risk of an increa sed cholesterol level was higher in subjects aged 20-39 years than in older subjects. No differences in body mass index, triglycerides, and physical inactivity were observed. Conclusions-Subjects free of previo us, 441 who reported a parental occurrence of MI had an adverse cardio vascular risk factor profile regarding systolic and diastolic blood pr essure, total cholesterol, the ratio between HDL and total cholesterol , and smoking. Thus, these modifiable risk factors may be mediators of the familial predisposition to MI.