Epidemiology of ischaemic heart disease in India with special reference to causation.

Abstract

Mortality trends from arteriosclerosis including coronary heart disease were explored retrospectively in railway populations in India. Big geographical differences between areas were present, the disease being 7 times more common in the south as in the north. In addition to strong dietary differences, there were intriguing geographical variations between sedentary versus physically active occupations, and different socio-economic groups. The current hypothesis of diet, the decline of physical activity, and smoking and stress does not find support in this study. The possible part played by diet has been discussed elsewhere which seems to indicate that the relative proportions in the diet of short-chain versus the complex long-chain fatty acids, triglycer-ides, and the particle size of the food fats, may be reflected in the plasma triglycerides, and may determine the dynamic equilibrium between blood coagulation and fibrinolysis.