Social Effects of a History of Ischaemic Heart Disease

Abstract

The consequences of ischaemic heart disease include adverse personal and social effects as well as morbidity and mortality. This study describes these affects among people registered in a community-based study of all suspected heart attacks. Two groups were compared, those with and those without a previous history of ischaemic heart disease, using information about the subjects' lives before the event which caused them to be registered. Men with a history were more likely to be retired or permanently unable to work (64 % compared with 47 %). Despite some modification of risk factors, such as reductions of cigarette smoking, men (but not women) with a history were more likely to die from the registered event especially within one hour from onset of symptoms. These results emphasize the need for prevention of heart disease before it causes the effects and disabilities reported here.