Summary
The haemostatic system was examined in 2951 men aged 50 to 61 years, clinically free
of cardiovascular disease, who were ranked according to a risk score for fatal coronary
heart disease (CHD). Risk was judged from their serum cholesterol concentration, systolic
blood pressure, body mass index and smoking habit. The status of the factor VH-tissue
factor pathway was estimated from the plasma levels of factor VII coagulant activity,
factor VII antigen and activated factor VII. Activation of factor IX was assessed
from the plasma concentration of factor IX activation peptide. Activity within the
common pathway was measured as the plasma concentrations of prothrombin fragment 1+2
and fibrinopeptide A. All 6 markers of haemostatic status were positively and statistically
significantly associated with risk, providing further evidence for a hypercoagulable
state in men at high risk for fatal CHD. Plasma fibrinogen and serum triglyceride
concentrations were also graded positively with risk.
