Principal Investigators:
Rifat Jabara MD and Chaim Lotan MD

Abstract

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the leading cause of death and disability among women of most ethnic groups all over the world. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease in women increases dramatically with age. As the population ages and women's life expectancy increases, the importance of these diseases will increase as well.
The same risk factors associated with a higher cardiac risk in men are also relevant in women, including age, family history, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus. However, their relative importance may be different and additional factors, such as the hormonal status, may be equally powerful predictors of coronary artery disease (CAD). Little has been published so far on CHD and risk factor distributions among Arabs in Israel. Recently, it was shown that CHD mortality and all-cause mortality rates were significantly higher among Arab residents of Jerusalem (males and females) than among Jewish residents at ages between 35-74 years.
The risk factor profile of CHD among Arab women in Israel is unknown. However, there are clear dietary differences between Arab and Jewish women in Israel (predominantly consumption of oils), socioeconomic inequalities, differences in medical care and stress effects related to the complex political situation.
The objective of this study is to establish and compare the risk profile of CHD between Arab and Jewish women, who underwent coronary angiography at the Hadassah-University Hospital and were found to have CAD.
Results will hopefully help us to understand the risk factors of CAD in Arab women and prevent CHD (primary and secondary prevention). In addition, the data will lead to an assessment of non-conventional risk factors such as the "Hypercoagulable State", C-reactive protein and homocysteine-polymorphisms, especially among young Arab women compared with young Jewish women.

Status
funded