Physical Activity and Risk of Myocardial Infarction, Cerebral Stroke and Death

Abstract

Physical activity at work and in leisure time was studied by using a questionnaire in a random population sample from two counties of Eastern Finland in 1972. Data on age, serum cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, height, weight and smoking were recorded in a field examination. The study population consisted of 3978 men aged 30-59 years and 3688 women aged 35-59 years. The participation rate was 92% in men and 94% in women in these age groups. During the approximately seven-year follow-up until December 31, 1978, 210 men and 63 women had an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 89 men and 14 women died of acute ischemic heart disease, 71 men and 56 women had a cerebral stroke and 172 men and 75 women died of any disease. The subjects with a history of myocardial infarction, angina or cerebral stroke in the 12 months preceding the baseline survey were excluded in the respective analysis. Low physical activity at work was associated with an increased risk of AMI, cerebral stroke and death due to any disease in both men and women, even when controlling for age, serum total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, height, weight and smoking in a multiple logistic model. The relative risk of AMI was 1.5 (90% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-2.0) in men and 2.4 (90% CI = 1.5-3.7) in women. Low physical activity in leisure time had a significant association with an increased risk of death, but not with an increased risk of AMI or stroke in the multivariate analysis.

Sex differences in susceptibility to etiologic factors for peripheral atherosclerosis. Importance of plasma fibrinogen and blood viscosity.

“…Several longitudinal studies have shown that physical exercise reduces future risk of coronary heart disease in men. 39 In women low physical activity has been related to an increased risk of myocardial infarction in Israel, 40 Gothenburg, 41 and eastern Finland, 42 but in the Framingham Study during 14 years of follow-up, physical activity in men was related inversely to coronary mortality while the relation in women was negligible. 43 Most epidemiological studies investigating sex differences in coronary heart disease have attempted to explain the differences in incidence and mortality according to variations in the distribution of risk factors in men and women.…”

Lifelong exercise and stroke.

“…A series of cohorts and casecontrol studies have, however, suggested a benefit from increased levels of activity in middle age and beyond.' [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] The importance of exercise habits when young in determining future patterns of activity is now appreciated. 25 No study suggesting an adverse effect of exercise on the risk of stroke has been identified.…”

Physical activity and cardiovascular mortality – disentangling the roles of work, fitness, and leisure

“…While the beneficial effects of LTPA on the circulatory system appear well established (14,15), the evidence about the health effects of OPA remains inconsistent (16). In high quality prospective population-based studies, higher levels of OPA were associated with a reduced risk of CVD in some studies (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22), showed no association in others (18,21,(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28), or were associated with an increased CVD risk (4,(7)(8)(9)29). A few studies showed differential effects, with LTPA being protective and OPA having no effect (27), LTPA having no effect and OPA constituting a CVD risk (4), LTPA having a protective effect only among persons with low levels of OPA (22) or LTPA constituting a CVD risk (9).…”