Association of Family History With Cardiovascular Disease in Hypertensive Individuals in a Multiethnic Population

Abstract

BackgroundHypertension alone is a poor predictor of the individual risk of cardiovascular disease. Hereditary factors of which hypertension is merely a marker may explain why some hypertensive individuals appear more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, and why some ethnicities have more often seemingly hypertension‐related cardiovascular disease than others. We hypothesize that, in hypertensive individuals, a positive family history of cardiovascular disease identifies a high‐risk subpopulation.Methods and ResultsHealthy Life in Urban Settings (HELIUS) is a cohort study among participants of Dutch, South‐Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish, and Moroccan origin aged 70 years and younger. In participants with hypertension (n=6467), we used logistic regression to assess the association of family history of cardiovascular disease with prevalent stroke and nonstroke cardiovascular disease, adjusting for sex, age, education, and smoking. To detect ethnic differences, we tested for interaction between family history and ethnicity and stratified the analysis by ethnicity. A positive family history was associated with a higher prevalence of nonstroke cardiovascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 2.05; 95% CI, 1.65–2.54) and stroke (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.19–2.20). The strongest association of family history with nonstroke cardiovascular disease was found among the Dutch (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.37–4.44) and with stroke among the African Surinamese (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.32–3.57). The interaction between family history and African Surinamese origin for stroke was statistically significant.ConclusionsIn multiethnic populations of hypertensive patients, a positive family history of cardiovascular disease may be used clinically to identify individuals at high risk for nonstroke cardiovascular disease regardless of ethnic origin and African Surinamese individuals at high risk for stroke.

Long-term cardiometabolic disease risk in women with PCOS: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Based on the current unadjusted meta-analyses, the magnitude of the risk increase in PCOS is comparable to having a first degree family history of T2D (hazard ratio: 2.72, 95% CI 2.48 to 2.99) ( Scott et al , 2013 ). PCOS is a stronger risk factor for stroke than a family history of CVD (odds ratio: 1.38, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.88) ( Valerio et al , 2016 ). Given the increase in cardiometabolic risk, it is understandable that cardiometabolic screening of women with PCOS is regularly suggested in international guidelines ( Huang and Coviello, 2012 ; Andersen and Glintborg, 2018 ).…”

Are racial differences in hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass graft surgery real? A risk-adjusted meta-analysis

“…For patients with heart disease, some studies have suggested subtle differences among race/ethnicities in the biology of hypertension. Potential differences in the biology of hypertension may result in more frequent and more severe hypertension and ventricular hypertrophy in Black patients [41].…”

Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Young Adults through the Nursing Diagnosis: A Cross-Sectional Study among International University Students

“…However, as suggested by the review by Imes et al, the perceived risk of CVD caused by family history is not enough to promote changes in health-related behaviors [ 37 ]. Family history of CVD has been associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke [ 38 ]. Moonesinghe et al’s study identified that the prevalence rate of cardiovascular disease was more than double for the population with a family history of CVD [ 39 ].…”