A genetic analysis of cardiovascular disease risk factor clustering in adult female twins.

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease have been shown to cluster in adult populations of men and women [Criqui et al., 1980]. In a population of adult female twin pairs (ages 18-85), body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and high and low density lipoprotein levels were found to exhibit significant clustering. Path analysis was used to resolve the risk factor correlations into genetic, environmental, and age-related components.