Comparison of coronary atherosclerosis in middle-aged Norwegian and Japanese men. An autopsy study.

We compared the extent of lesions in the coronary arteries of autopsied middle-aged men from Oslo, Norway, with lesions in autopsied men of similar ages in Tokyo, Japan. Certain risk factors for coronary heart disease as serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure were also available from these men in the two locations. Our comparisons reveal large differences in the extent of atherosclerosis between Oslo and Tokyo, which are reflected in the levels of the risk factors, particularly serum cholesterol levels. Our findings suggest that preventive strategies could retard the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease without the economic and nutritional problems that affect technically underdeveloped societies where atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease are not prevalent.