Chapter IX NUMBER OF PREGNANCIES, USE OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES AND MENOPAUSAL AGE IN WOMEN WITH ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE, COMPARED TO A POPULATION SAMPLE OF WOMEN

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Abstract
The number of childbirths had been significantly greater in women with angina pectoris or ECG changes suggestive of ischaemic heart disease than in women of the general population. A similar tendency was found for women with myocardial infarction. Spontaneous and/or legal abortions had been significantly more common in women with myocardial infarction. None of the women with myocardial infarction, angina pectoris or ECG changes suggestive of ischaemic heart disease had ever used oral contraceptives. Eight women who had a myocardial infarct before the age of 48 were all still menstruating when they had the infarct. A retrospective comparison revealed that significantly more women who had suffered myocardial infarction were postmenopausal at the ages of 45 and 50 than women in the general population. Menopause at the age of 50 or earlier had also taken place significantly more often in women with angina pectoris and in women with ECG changes suggestive of ischaemic heart disease. Postmenopausal 50‐year old women had higher serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride values than 50‐year old women still menstruating but blood pressure was lower than in the latter group of women. These differences in serum lipids and blood pressure between premenopausal and postmenopausal women were statistically significant.