Serum triglycerides, cholesterol, lipoprotein patterns and other risk factors in survivors of acute myocardial infarction in Singapore

Abstract

A study of risk factors in 142 survivors of acute myocardial infarction from January 1973 to April 1974 was made. 12 wk after the onset of infarction, serum cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid and blood sugar were obtained after 12-14 hr overnight fast. The patients' ages ranged from 30 to 78 yr; there was a predominance of males and a significant preponderance of Indians. The mean values of serum cholesterol and triglyceride were 218.49 ± 65.68 and 151.07 ± 76.39 mgm% respectively. 52 patients had some form of hyperlipoproteinemia, of which type 4 was the commonest. The mean uric acid value was 6.46 ± 1.47 mgm%. Diabetes mellitus was present in 23.1% and hypertension in 24.6% of the subjects. 90.2% had 1 or more risk factors. Smoking was the most common risk factor (67.6%). The increased susceptibility of Indians to ischemic heart disease cannot be explained by differences in frequency or combination of risk factors like smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hyperuricemia and hyperlipoproteinemia.