Use of calcium supplements and the risk of coronary heart disease in 52-62-year-old women: The Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study.
BACKGROUND
To analyse prospectively the effect of calcium or calcium+D supplementation on coronary heart disease (CHD) in 52-62-year-old women.


RESULTS
10,555 52-62-year-old women from the population-based Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study (OSTPRE) who did not have CHD at baseline were followed for nearly 7 years in 1994-2001. Information about use of calcium supplements and health events was obtained from two repeated questionnaires in 1989 and 1994. Information about causes of death during the follow-up was obtained from the Statistics Finland. Information about CHD and other disease morbidity before and during the follow-up was obtained from the Registry of Specially Refunded Drugs of the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (SII). Cox's proportional-hazards models were used to estimate the risk of CHD morbidity related to the use of calcium supplements. At baseline, 2723 women reported current use of calcium or calcium+D supplementation. During the follow-up, CHD was diagnosed in 513 women. Compared to non-users of calcium/calcium+D supplements, the multivariate adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of CHD was 1.24 (95% CI 1.02-1.52) in women who used these supplements. The multivariate adjusted HR for CHD morbidity in postmenopausal women who used calcium/calcium+D supplements was 1.26 (95% CI 1.01-1.57).


CONCLUSIONS
Calcium or calcium+D supplementation appears to increase the risk of CHD among women before old age.
Pentti
Kati
K
Kuopio University Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Finland.
Tuppurainen
Marjo T
MT
Honkanen
Risto
R
Sandini
Lorenzo
L
Kröger
Heikki
H
Alhava
Esko
E
Saarikoski
Seppo
S
D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium