Risk factors among medically indigent women < or = 45 years old with angiographically proven obstructive coronary arterial disease.
BACKGROUND
Risk factors for angiographically proven coronary arterial disease (CAD) have not been assessed in a large cohort of young medically indigent women, who are known to have more CAD than better educated and more affluent women.


METHODS
In a 2-year period, 165 medically indigent women < or = 45 years old underwent coronary arteriography for symptoms suggesting CAD. We compared the prevalence of risk factors in the 100 with obstructive CAD with the prevalence in the 65 with non-obstructive or no CAD.


RESULTS
Both groups had high prevalences of all of the standard risk factors. Compared to the 65 without, the 100 with obstructive CAD more often smoked, had diabetes mellitus, had a family history of CAD, and more often had had a myocardial infarct.


CONCLUSIONS
CAD in medically indigent young women is not rare and is best predicted by symptoms, smoking, and diabetes mellitus.
Glancy
D Luke
DL
Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
Shah
Akbar
A
Azzam
Ruba
R
Abourahma
Ashraf
A
Kropog
Jeannine F
JF
Steinmann
William
W
Asfour
Wail
W
Khuri
Bahij
B
Patel
Kush
K
Vijayagopal
Parakat
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008489:Medical Indigency; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology