Myocardial infarction in young women with reference to oral contraceptive use

Abstract

A hospital-based case-control study of myocardial infarction in young women conducted in Belgrade from January 1983 to December 1986 is presented. A total of 58 women with infarction, aged 30 to 50 years were compared with 174 age-matched controls. Smoking of 15 or more cigarettes per day, diabetes, hypertension, angina pectoris and hypercholesterolaemia, all significantly elevated the risk of myocardial infarction. Relative risk among past users of oral contraceptives (crude RR = 2.48, 95% Cl = 0.98-6.23) remained elevated after stratification for the other five significant risk factors. Although remaining small, this study is consistent with already published work on the subject. Lack of agreement with the previous study in Belgrade is explained.