IMPAIRED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE AND CORONARY HEART-DISEASE

The incidence of impaired glucose tolerance, the relation of blood glucose levels to the prevalence of risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and to myocardial infarction morbidity and mortality were studied over 15 years among males aged 45-59 years, excluding patients with diabetes mellitus. The data analysis was made in quintiles of glucose levels. Impaired glucose tolerance was detected in 20.6% of the males. In the fifth versus the first quintile, there was an increase in the prevalence of systolic and diastolic arterial hypertension (p < 0.001), obesity (p < 0.001), low physical activity and hypercholesterolemia (p < 0.05). As compared with the first, the fifth quintile showed higher total mortality rates and higher myocardial infarction morbidity and cardiovascular disease and CHD morbidity rates. But for age, and major risk factors, the risk for CHD, total and cardiovascular mortality increase at low and high blood glucose concentrations.