Autopsy Study of Atherosclerosis at Madras, South India

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Abstract
A sample of 263 hearts and 259 aortas, ranging in age from 6 to 94 years, has been examined for atherosclerotic lesions. The atherosclerotic index for the aorta and the coronary, iliac, innominate, and common carotid arteries has been computed and the data have been analyzed according to sex and age groups. The arteries may be arranged in the following descending series, beginning with the one most heavily diseased: the aorta in both sexes; the coronary arteries of men; the iliac, innominate, and common carotid arteries of both sexes; the coronary arteries of women. The aorta is also the most frequently affected blood vessel. The frequency of atherosclerotic involvement of the coronary arteries is the same in both sexes, but the extent and severity of lesions are much greater (two to four times) in men than in women. Consistently large differences between the sexes have been observed only in the coronary arteries. The mean atherosclerotic indices of the aorta and coronary arteries in men indicate a much greater severity of the disease at Madras than so far reported from any other place in India, the severity being very similar to that reported from the United States.