Less Education Yields Higher Cardiovascular Risk Save

Similar to the findings in rheumatoid arthritis, lower levels of education can have predictable negative consequences. And the reasons for more heart attacks with lower educational levels is not entirely clear.

New research from a large Australian study of healthy aging in the Southern Hemisphere has shown a nearly 2 fold risk for MI and primary CV events for those who exit school early (prior to qualifiation). (Citation source: http://buff.ly/2iXtuj5)

An Australian cohort of 267,153 men and women aged ≥ 45, were studied between (2006–2009) and linked to hospital and death data (to December 2013) looking for their first death or CVD hospital admission.

In all there were 18,207 primary major CVD events over 1,144,845 years of follow-up (15.9/1000 person-years), and 20,048 secondary events over 260,357 years (77.0/1000 person-years).

With decreasing education there was an increase in primary and secondary CV events. Hazard ratios were highest in the 45-64 years group: HR 1.62 (95% CI: 1.49–1.77) for primary events, and HR = 1.49 (1.34–1.65) for secondary events (comparing those without schooling to those with university degrees).

The risk was around two-thirds (70%) higher among those with intermediate levels of education (non-university qualifications).

Education (like income) is therefor an important socioeconomic determinant to cardiovascular outcomes in the community. The same findings have long been seen in RA outcomes. It is not clear if this relates to healthcare access (most studies do not show this), lifestyle, nutrition or other yet to be identified factors.