Coronary heart disease risk factors and attributable risks in African-American women and men: NHANES I epidemiologic follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed associations of risk factors with coronary heart disease incidence in African Americans.


METHODS
The participants in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study included in this analysis were 1641 Black and 9660 White persons who were aged 25 to 74 years when examined and who did not have a history of coronary heart disease. Average follow-up for survivors was 19 years.


RESULTS
Significant, independent risk factors for coronary heart disease were age, systolic blood pressure, and smoking in Black women and age, systolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, low education, and low family income in Black men. In this cohort, 19% of incident coronary heart disease in Black women and 34% in Black men might be prevented if systolic blood pressure were below 140 mm Hg. In Black men, attributable risk for low education (46%) was even higher than that for elevated blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated systolic blood pressure and smoking were predictive of coronary heart disease incidence in African Americans. Estimates of population attributable risk were highest for elevated systolic blood pressure in women and education less than high school in men. Further studies of serum lipids, education, and coronary heart disease in Black women are needed.
Gillum
R F
RF
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA.
Mussolino
M E
ME
Madans
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D001741:Black or African American