Journal of Applied Medical Sciences

A Close Comparison of Clinical Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease of a Small Group of Immigrant Asians and Caucasian Americans Working in an Urban Medical Center in Los Angeles County, California: A Pilot Study

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• Abstract

  Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Asian immigrants are found to have a higher risk of developing CAD compared to Caucasians [1]. We compared the CAD risk factor profiles of a small group of Asians with those of a small group of Caucasian Americans employed in an urban medical center in Los Angeles, California. Sixty participants (30 Asians, 30 Caucasians) self-reported presence of the following CAD risk factors: smoking, sedentary lifestyle, family history of CAD and heart related diseases in the family, high cholesterol level, and hypertension among others. Findings revealed non-significant differences in most risk factors for participants. The only significant risk factor between the two groups was Body Mass Index (BMI) in males. Asian males had a higher BMI risk compared to Caucasians (p=.04). The results showed that although Asians had more risk factors compared to Caucasians, this did not mean they were more prone to CAD than the Caucasian Americans.