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© 1994 Oxford University Press

research-article

Lifestyle and the Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Gulf Arab Population

KHALDOON A AL-ROOMI*, ABDULRAHMAN O MUSAIGER*,** and ABDUL-HAI AL-AWADI{dagger}

* College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University PO Box 22979, Adlya, State of Bahrain
** Current address: Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, United Arab Emirates University PO Box 17555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
{dagger} Salmaniya Medical Centre, Ministry of Health PO Box 12, Manama, State of Bahrain

BACKGROUND: Recent statistics indicate that acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is becoming very common in the State of Bahrain. A population-based case-control study was carried out to explore the importance of lifestyle in the occurrence of AMI in Bahrain among those aged 30–79 years.

METHODS: Seventy consecutive cases with a first episode of AMI were identified from a register, which included all hospital admissions, during the period 1 February 1992 to 31 July 1992, and compared with 516 subjects obtained from a random sample of the same community. Multiple logistic regression was used to control for demographic variables as well as for the mutual confounding effects of the investigated risk factors.

RESULTS: Of the patients with first-time AMI, 64% did not walk regularly for exercise compared with 34% of community controls (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] :1.24–5.15). In all, 12% of community controls has a history of hypertension and 9% had diabetes. The comparative figures for AMI patients were 44% for hypertension (adjusted OR = 5.04, 95% CI: 2.82–9.00) and 22% for diabetes (adjusted OR = 3.28, CI: 1.73–6.20). Cigarette smoking and infrequent consumption of fruits and vegetables also appeared to be associated with an increased risk of AMI.

CONCLUSIONS: There is scope for lifestyle change in reducing AMI risk, by changes in physical activity, smoking and dietary habits. In addition, measures to control hypertension and diabetes should be given a high priority in any national health policy to prevent AMI.

Received 1 February 1994


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