Relation of Hematocrit Values to Coronary Heart Disease, Arterial Hypertension, and Respiratory Impairment in Occupational and Population Groups of the Athens Area

Hematocrit values (Hct) were studied in relation to clinical and electrocardiographic (ECG) manifestations of coronary heart disease (CHD), arterial hypertension (AH), and respiratory impairment (RI) in 2901 adults (2033 men, 868 women) thirty to seventy years old, who comprised selected groups of large occupational (8611 workers) and population (5573 individuals) samples of the Athens area. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The women of the population sample with high Hct values had a significantly greater frequency of CHD (14.6%) as compared with women of the same sample with low Hct values (7.4%) (chi 2 = 12.778 P < 0.005). 2. Subjects of both sexes in the population sample with high Hct values had significantly higher mean levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure as compared with subjects of the same population sample with low Hct values (F:4.61, P < 0.01). 3. In the women of the population sample with RI, the mean Hct values were significantly higher than those in the normal population (t:1.994, P < 0.05). It is concluded that high Hct values as an indirect measure of increased blood viscosity seem to be related to CHD and AH. Moreover, RI is correlated with high Hct values.