Table 2.

Risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease and ischaemic heart disease depending on smoking status for individuals 20–74 years old; hazard ratios for high^* total cholesterol compared with low cholesterol levels

		Men			Women
Cause of death	Level of cholesterol*	No. of persons	No. of deaths	Adjusted† HR (95% CI)	No. of persons	No. of deaths	Adjusted† HR (95% CI)
All causes
Smokers	High	4726	476	0.87 (0.73–1.03)	5 406	339	1.00 (0.77–1.31)
	Low	2680	180	1.00 (Reference)	3 795	75	1.00 (Reference)
Non-smokers	High	9724	573	0.94 (0.80–1.10)	10 485	503	0.74 (0.60–0.91)
	Low	7105	218	1.00 (Reference)	8 166	126	1.00 (Reference)
CVD
Smokers	High	4726	181	0.92 (0.68–1.24)	5 406	94	1.09 (0.60–2.00)
	Low	2680	58	1.00 (Reference)	3 795	13	1.00 (Reference)
Non-smokers	High	9724	182	0.91 (0.68–1.21)	10 485	160	1.00 (0.63–1.57)
	Low	7105	65	1.00 (Reference)	8 166	23	1.00 (Reference)
IHD
Smokers	High	4726	89	1.03 (0.66–1.59)	5 406	46	1.19 (0.48–2.93)
	Low	2680	26	1.00 (Reference)	3 795	6	1.00 (Reference)
Non-smokers	High	9724	88	1.00 (0.65–1.53)	10 485	56	0.96 (0.45–2.06)
	Low	7105	28	1.00 (Reference)	8 166	8	1.00 (Reference)

^*Comparison of high (≥5.5 mmol L⁻¹) vs. low (<5.5 mmol L⁻¹) total cholesterol.

^†Adjusted for age (in the timescale), smoking (current vs. not) and systolic blood pressure.

CVD, cardiovascular disease; CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; IHD, ischaemic heart disease.