Coronary heart disease in young black and white males in New Orleans: Community Pathology Study

The biracial population of New Orleans has a high overall mortality rate, high coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rate, and high autopsy rate. In the New Orleans Community Pathology Study we investigated atherosclerosis and CHD in all deceased males aged 25 to 44 years, with major focus on the 52% of subjects from whom heart and arterial specimens were collected and evaluated according to standardized procedures. Morphologic correlates of CHD are the same in young black and white males. CHD mortality and mortality from cerebral hemorrhage, hypertensive heart disease, chronic renal disease, and diabetes are greater in young black males than young white males. Age, serum cholesterol, and hypertension were identified as important associated factors in the atherosclerotic process, as well as in CHD. The extent of coronary lesions seems to have decreased between 1960–1964 and 1969–1978 in young white males but not in blacks. Racial differences in coronary lesion involvement in non-CHD deaths are smaller than in our earlier studies.