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Biomedical subjects

J Fodor

Publications and source records attributed to J Fodor.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Longitudinal study of heart disease in a Jamaican rural population. I. Prevalence, with special reference to ECG findings.

A long-term epidemiological study of heart disease in a representative rural community in Jamaica was started in 1962-63 and the first follow-up survey was carried out in 1967-68. This report describes the prevalence of several cardiovascular characteristics at each survey, and their associations with other measurements. The nature of the electrocardiographic abnormalities and their relationship with symptoms of effort pain and prolonged chest pain suggests that much of the disease seen in this population is ultimately ischaemic in origin despite evidence that classical myocardial infarction and severe coronary atheroma are relatively infrequent. Nevertheless both the symptoms and the electrocardiographic abnormalities had features that were not completely typical of occlusive disease of extramural coronary arteries. These findings are discussed in terms of the four conditions-hypertension, conventional coronary heart disease, small artery disease, and cardiomyopathy-that are believed to account for most cases of heart disease in this community, and it is concluded that the overall pattern of disease cannot be explained by any single disorder of overriding importance. The evidence suggests that all may be important contributors.

Adult

Longitudinal study of heart disease in a Jamaican rural population. 2. Factors influencing mortality.

The relationship between cardiovascular characteristics and mortality was investigated in an epidemiological study of heart disease in a representative adult rural community in Jamaica. Of 449 men and 469 women followed up for 5 years, 36 men and 28 women died and the data concerning their status as regards arterial pressure, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and histories of effort pain at the intial survey have been analysed. Cardiovascular disease, and heart disease in particular, was the major cause of death in this population. Blood pressure levels exceeding 160/95 mm Hg had been recorded in about one third of the men and half the women who died and a clear trend was found between overall mortality and arterial pressure. Symptoms of effort pain and ECG abnormalities compatible with myocardial ischaemia, both of which were unexpectedly common, appeared to have independent prognostic significance. The prognosis of each was worse when associated with hypertension; hypertension unaccompanied by either effort pain or ECG "ischaemic" abnormality, on the other hand, caused no excess mortality in either sex within the period of follow-up. Although classical myocardial infarction was confirmed to be relatively infrequent, myocardial disorders with many of the features of ischaemic heart disease are an important cause of death in rural Jamaicans.

Adult

Longitudinal study of heart disease in a Jamaican rural population. 3. Factors influencing changes in serial electrocardiograms.

A longitudinal survey of heart disease in adults in a representative rural population in Jamaica provided an opportunity to study factors influencing the progression and incidence of electrocardiographic abnormalities in serial tracings taken at a 5-year interval. An analysis of changes occurring in those with ECG abnormalities compatible with ischaemia at the first survey showed that progression from a less severe to a more severe category was greater in men than in women, in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects, and, among men, in those with the amplitude criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy. The incidence of abnormal Q/QS patterns was greater in men than in women, and that of all abnormalities suggesting ischaemia was greater in hypertensive than in normotensive persons; in men, it was greater in those with high amplitude R waves. The incidence cases showed S-T and T wave abnormalities, the great majority of which were classified as showing features compatible with ischaemia rather than with strain secondary to hypertrophy. These findings, which are discussed in terms of their possible causes, seem to confirm that much of the heart disease in this Jamaican community has features of myocardial ischaemia despite other evidence that extramural coronary vessels tend to be spared from such severe occlusive atheromatous disease as is found in many other populations.

Coronary Disease