THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA FOLLOW-UP STUDY: A PROSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. II. BUILD, BLOOD PRESSURE AND ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC FACTORS POSSIBLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE.

The relationship of selected physical and electrocardiographic factors to the occurrence of coronary heart disease was examined in a cohort of 3983 healthy North American males followed up for 15 years. Variations in build or mean heart rate were not found to be related to the occurrence of coronary heart disease. The risk of coronary heart disease rose progressively as blood pressure increased. With readings of 160/95 mm. Hg or higher the risk was 1.77 times that of the population as a whole. Non-specific S-T and/or T wave changes in the electrocardiogram were associated with three times the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Individuals with the combination of a blood pressure of 160/95 mm. Hg and nonspecific T wave changes exhibited an augmented susceptibility to coronary heart disease, the risk being four times that of the whole population.