Ischemic heart disease in Israel: changes over 30 years.

As in most of the industralized nations of the world, ischemic heart disease is the major cause of death in the adult population of Israel. The first two and a half decades since the founding of the State in 1948 were typified by a constant rise in morbidity and mortality from this disease in all ethnic groups in this heterogeneous population. Major changes in health-related behavior in the immigrant groups resulted in a rise in the disease rates that ranked this country among those with the highest incidence rates in the world. Since 1972-74 there is evidence of a fall in mortality in all ethnic groups. There is less conclusive evidence of a possible fall in morbidity as reflected by hospital admissions. These reductions are too recent for their full significance and the possible factors involved to be clear.