Risk factors for coronary artery disease in old persons in an academic hospital-based geriatrics practice.
BACKGROUND
Risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in old men and women include age, cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of risk factors with prevalence of CAD.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis of charts for all old persons seen during the period from 1 January 1998 through 15 June 1999 at an academic hospital-based geriatric practice to investigate associations of risk factors with prevalence of CAD among old persons. We studied 467 men, mean age 80 +/- 8 years, and 1444 women, mean age 81 +/- 8 years.


RESULTS
CAD was present in 201 of 467 men (43%) and in 473 of 1444 women (33%; P < 0.0001). Risk factors for CAD according to univariate analysis were age (P < 0.0001 for women), cigarette smoking (P < 0.0001 for men and women), hypertension (P < 0.0001 for men and women), diabetes mellitus (P < 0.0001 for men and women), obesity (P < 0.0001 for men and women), and serum levels of total cholesterol (P < 0.0001 for men and P = 0.0001 for women), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P < 0.0001 for men and P = 0.001 for women), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (inverse association; P = 0.0001 for men and women). Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that significant independent risk factors for CAD were cigarette smoking (odds ratio 6.7 for men), hypertension (odds ratios 3.3 for men and 2.7 for women), and serum levels of HDL cholesterol (odds ratio 0.83 for men and women) and LDL cholesterol (odds ratios 1.10 for men and 1.09 for women).


CONCLUSIONS
Significant independent risk associations with prevalence of CAD among old persons were found for cigarette smoking by men, hypertension in men and women, and serum levels of HDL cholesterol (inverse association) in men and women, and of LDL cholesterol in men and women.
Ness
J
J
Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Aronow
W S
WS
Ahn
C
C
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology