[Risk factors and age].
The known risk factors for atherosclerosis do not possess the same significance in young people as in the elderly. Hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and cigarette smoking appear to have a greater bearing below the age of 50 than later, particularly in myocardial infarction but also in apoplexy. On the other hand, hypertension is an important factor in the young and, especially in the case of apoplexy, even more so in advanced age. There is marked difference with regard to preexisting heart disease, which scarcely plays a role in myocardial infarction of the younger patient but is a factor in some 50% of hemiplegia cases. Only one fifth of elderly patients with this disease have no preexisting carcdiopathy. The similarity of the risk factors in elderly patients either with or without apoplexy is due to the fact that arteriosclerosis is already established in both groups and the risk factors which give rise to ischemia, thrombosis or embolism assume prominence. The therapeutic implications are briefly discussed.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking / Q000150:complications
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