Age and gender differences in the impact of diabetes on the prevalence of ischemic heart disease: a population-based register study.

Objective: To explore age and gender differences in the impact of diabetes on the prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in a defined population.

Methods: Data were obtained from an administrative health care register covering a population of about 415,000. The study included all patients aged 45-74 years diagnosed between 1999 and 2003 with IHD (n=11,311) and diabetes (n=10,364) by physicians at all primary health care centres (PHCs) and out- and inpatient clinics at all hospitals in the county of Ostergötland, Sweden.

Results: In the 45-54-year-old age group, diabetes was associated with an increase in IHD prevalence equivalent to ageing about 20 years in women and 10 years in men. The diabetes/nondiabetes IHD prevalence rate ratio (IPR) decreased with age in both men and women (trend p-values <0.001). The IPR was higher among women than men in each age group, though the female relative excess decreased from 75% higher in the 45-54-year-old age group to 33% higher in the 65-74-year-old age group (trend p-value=0.018).

Conclusions: The relative gender difference in the impact of diabetes on IHD in younger middle-aged patients remained up to the age of 65 years, decreasing considerably thereafter.