Characteristics of Metabolic and Lifestyle Risk Factors and A Strategy of Preventive Approaches to Coronary Heart Disease in Young Japanese Patients

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Characteristics of Metabolic and Lifestyle Risk Factors and A Strategy of Preventive Approaches to Coronary Heart Disease in Young Japanese Patients

Minoru Hongo, Masako Azegami, Setsuko Yanagisawa, et al.
Shinshu University School of Health Sciences, Matsumoto, Japan

In recent years, there was a marked change in lifestyle, including the dietary pattern and transportation system, in Japan. We have previously reported that the number of young Japanese patients (aged < 40 years) with coronary heart disease (CHD) showing multiple metabolic risk factors, especially childhood obesity, is gradually increasing during the last few dacades. Based on these results, we conducted a multicenter study in entire areas of Nagano Prefecture in order to assess the relationship between the CHD event and metabolic and lifestyle risk factors and its onset season in young Japanese patients between 1992 and 2002. We found that obesity and a lack of regular physical exercise were independent risk factors for CHD events in young patients compared with older patients (aged >= 50 years). In addition, there was a seasonal difference in the onset of CHD events with an increase in the prevalence during the summer months (Fig. 1) and a trend for an association between history of smoking and the onset of CHD events in young patients. On the basis of these observations, both the acute and chronic risk factors were suggested as the possible mechanisms for the onset of acute coronary syndrome in young patients (Figs. 2). Thus, the data may provide insights into the effective screening of high-risk individuals and the development of educational programs for prevention of CHD, especially in the young Japanese population.