Study indicates nine risk factors explain most heart attacks

Nine in 10 heart attacks can be predicted on the basis of nine risk factors, which are the same all over the world irrespective of ethnic group or sex, global research in 52 countries has found.

An abnormal ratio of apolipoprotein A to apolipoprotein B—a more sensitive marker than the ratio of high density to low density lipoprotein—and smoking accounted for two thirds of total risk.

Smoking six to 10 cigarettes a day doubles the risk of heart attack, according to the findings. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day increases the …