Positive family history as a risk factor of obliterative atherosclerosis.

Clinical, angiological, and biochemical examinations were performed in 981 men and 30 women with organic afflictions of peripheral arteries, and in 411 men and 50 women without any signs of peripheral arterial lesions. Their family histories were thoroughly recorded with particular reference to the occurrence of myocardial infarction, cerebral accidents before and after the age of 60 years, and death of these causes; further, of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obliterations and gangraenes, in each patient's siblings, parents, and all four grandparents. Furthermore, the significance of positive family history in combination with other risk factors was investigated. Family history can be considered positive with respect to obliterative atherosclerosis when in anyone of the patient's grandparents, parents, or siblings an obliteration of peripheral arteries is present or when anyone of them died of myocardial infarction or apoplexy, especially when aged under 60 years. Presence of several factors in the specified next of kin accelerates the obliterative process in the patient. A positive family history, however, plays no decisive role either alone or in combination with any other single risk factor, but only in combination with two or more other factors, one of which is always tobacco smoking; it is not significant in any combination with obesity.