Atherosclerosis in Alaska Natives and non-natives

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 341; no. 8852; pp. 1056 - 1057
• Main Authors: Newman, W.P., Middaugh, J.P., Propst, M.T., Rogers, D.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 24.04.1993; Lancet; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alaska - epidemiology; Aorta, Abdominal - pathology; Aortic Diseases - epidemiology; Aortic Diseases - mortality; Aortic Diseases - pathology; Arteriosclerosis - epidemiology; Arteriosclerosis - mortality; Arteriosclerosis - pathology; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Coronary Artery Disease - epidemiology; Coronary Artery Disease - mortality; Coronary Artery Disease - pathology; Coronary Vessels - pathology; Diet; Female; Humans; Indians, North American; Indigenous peoples; Inuits; Lesions; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mortality; Native North Americans; Alaska; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Human; Cardiovascular disease; Epidemiology; Atherosclerosis
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)92413-N

Low mortality from coronary heart disease (CH D) among Eskimos has been attributed to less atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries because of a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Other investigators attribute this low mortality to the fact that Eskimos have a high mortality from other causes before middle age, when CH D is common. However, most studies have been epidemiological, either by death-certificate review or risk-factor evaluation. We evaluated the extent of atherosclerotic lesions in the coronary arteries and aortas from Alaska Natives. Standardised comparisons between samples from 103 Native and 101 non-native residents show that the extent of raised lesions increases with age in both groups, but the prevalence of raised lesions in native specimens was consistently lower than in those from non-natives. This difference was statistically significant. The data suggest that the differences in CHD mortality between Alaska Natives and non-natives are, at least in part, the result of less atherosclerosis in natives.