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The percentage content of linoleic acid in adipose tissue was inversely related to the risk of sudden cardiac death. Populations with a high risk of sudden cardiac death may benefit from increasing their dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid oils, principally from cereals and vegetables.

Aim To measure the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors in the female partners of men with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Method Consecutive incident cases of men under 6 5 years of age with AM1 surviving to 3 months, their female partners and female healthy controls matched for age and marital status drawn from the general population were investigated. ResultsOne-hundred and seventeen cases of AM1 in men under 6 5 years of age and 89 female partners were identified; 133 age-and sex-matched controls were examined for CHD risk factors. Cigarette smoking was more common among the younger partners (25-44 years of age) compared with controls.A body mass index > 28 kg/m2, systolic blood pressure > 150 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg and cholesterol > 6.5 mmol/l were all significantly more common in partners compared with controls. In a logistic regression of age, smoking habit, blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index, based on 89 female partners and 132 controls with complete data, body mass index > 28 kg/m2 (odds ratio 2.1 7, 95% CI 1.1 1-4.23) and cholesterol > 6.5 mmol/l (odds ratio 2.21, 95% CI 1.08-4.49) were both significantly more common in the female partners compared with controls.Conclusions Women married to men with AM1 have a higher frequency of C H D risk factors compared with married women in the general population, consistent with a shared family lifestyle putting both adults at higher risk of CHD. Screening blood relatives in families prematurely affected by CHD is widely advocated; such screening should include partners.

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