Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease is disappointing among patients of working age.
BACKGROUND
The risk factors underlying coronary heart disease (CHD) are well known.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk factors related to secondary prevention of working-age CHD patients.


METHODS
CHD patients with (n = 139) and without (n = 203) myocardial infarction were selected from a postal questionnaire study (n = 21 101) of randomly selected Finns aged 20-54 years (HeSSup study). Four age- and sex-matched controls were chosen for every patient.


RESULTS
CHD patients still smoke, are obese and suffer hangovers more frequently than the control population.


CONCLUSIONS
The health care system has not succeeded in the secondary prevention of CHD.
Sumanen
Markku
M
Kangasala Health Centre, Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Finland. markku.sumanen@kolumbus.fi
Koskenvuo
Markku
M
Immonen-Räihä
Pirjo
P
Suominen
Sakari
S
Sundell
Jari
J
Mattila
Kari
K
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires