Gender Response To Coronary Risk

February 17, 2016 updated by: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
To examine sex differences in behavioral and psychosocial variables such as occupation, Type A behavior, and hostility as they related to primary coronary risk factors.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

Although coronary heart disease is a major factor in morbidity and mortality in both sexes, most studies prior to 1988 when the study was initiated focused on men and overlooked the magnitude of the problem in women. Coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity rates are higher in men than in women, accounting for 41 percent of the sex difference in overall mortality in the United States. Women's advantage, however, does not seem to be stable over time nor universal. For example, in 1920, the age adjusted ratio of male to female coronary heart disease deaths was approximately equal, but between 1975 and 1978, it has increased to a level of 2.47 in the United States. Also, sex mortality ratios for heart disease differ widely across countries ranging from 5/1 in Finland to 1.87/1 in Yugoslavia. Thus, relying on biological differences alone when explaining this sex differential is not convincing.

Based on Framingham data, among the most important risk factors predicting coronary heart disease in both women and men are--aside from age--cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and blood pressure. Consistent with the observation that men are more likely to fall victim to coronary heart disease than women is the fact that they also exhibit higher levels of these risk factors when compared to women, at least up to the age of 45. Standardization of risk factor levels and controlling for both levels of risk factors on coronary heart disease probabilities eliminated the sex differential in 45 to 54 year olds of the Framingham Study. However, among the 55 to 74 year olds, the sex differential was not due to differences in levels or impact of the risk factors. It was conceivable that the sex mortality differential at the older ages was due to the sex differential in primary coronary risk factors at the younger ages.

Of particular interest was the fact that the primary risk factors appeared to be influenced by behavior. It was possible that gender differences in behavior might explain gender differences in primary coronary risk factors. Alternatively, there was some evidence that the primary coronary risk factors were not solely responsible for the etiology of coronary heart disease. Gender differences in psychosocial variables, such as Type A behavior, hostility, and occupational stress that might play independent roles in the etiology of coronary heart disease had not been systematically investigated.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

Gender differences in primary risk factors were determined, with all analyses being controlled for body mass since men score higher on body mass index than women and body mass is related to levels of primary coronary risk factors. One-way analyses of covariance were performed for plasma lipids and lipoproteins, blood pressure, and heart rate. Gender differences in psychosocial variables associated with coronary risk were investigated. Analyses were performed on primary coronary risk factors at baseline in order to investigate the relationships of occupational characteristics such as demand and control with age and body mass index. Covariance analyses were performed for Type A/Type B by high and low occupational control and by high and low demand for each sex. The role of parental history of heart disease, Type A behavior and smoking in elevated primary coronary risk factors among oral contraceptive users were also investigated.

The study completion date listed in this record was obtained from the "End Date" entered in the Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) record.

Study Type

Observational

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

No older than 100 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

No eligibility criteria

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Investigators

  • Gerdi Weidner, State University of New York

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

April 1, 1988

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 1990

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 25, 2000

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 25, 2000

First Posted (Estimate)

May 26, 2000

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

February 18, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 17, 2016

Last Verified

March 1, 2005

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1103
  • R01HL040368 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Heart Diseases

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Philippines

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe