The association of cardiovascular mortality with a first-degree family member history of different cardiovascular diseases

OBJECTIVE To investigate which history of cardiovascular disease[coronary heart disease(CHD),stroke,or peripheral arterial disease]in a first-degree family member predicts cardiovascular mortality.METHODS We studied a prospective cohort(the Lipid Research Clinics Prevalence Study)from ten primary care centers across North America.The primary outcome was cardiovascular mortality,assessed using Cox survival models.RESULTS There were 8,646 participants(mean age:47.4±12.1 years,46%women,52%of participants with hyperlipidemia)who were followed up for a mean duration of 19.4±4.9 years.There were 1,851 deaths(21%),including 852 cardiovascular deaths.A paternal,maternal or sibling history of premature CHD(before 60 years)was present in 26%of participants,of stroke in 27%of participants,and of peripheral arterial disease in 24%of participants.After adjusting for risk factors(age,sex,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,body mass index,smoking,fasting glucose,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides),only a paternal history of premature or any CHD,a maternal history of diabetes mellitus or premature or any CHD,and a sibling history of premature CHD,hypertension,or hyperlipidemia were individually predictive of cardiovascular mortality.After adjusting for risk factors and the mentioned familial factors,only paternal and maternal histories of CHD,espe-cially before 60 years,remained predictive of cardiovascular mortality,with a somewhat higher association for a maternal history[adjusted hazard ratio(aHR)=1.99,95%CI:1.36−2.92,P<0.001 for maternal history of premature CHD;aHR=1.52,95%CI:1.10−2.10,P=0.011 for paternal history of premature CHD].Family history of stroke or peripheral arterial disease did not predict cardiovascular mortality.Parental history of premature CHD predicted cardiovascular mortality independently of baseline age(<60 years and≥60 years),hypertension,or hyperlipidemia and carried more important prognostic value in men rather than wo-men.CONCLUSIONS In this study,a parental history of CHD,especially before 60 years,best predicted cardiovascular mortality.This finding could help more accurately identify high-risk patients who would benefit from preventive strategies.