[The twenty-year trend in hospital mortality of acute myocardial infarction in Shanghai and the responsible factors. Shanghai Cooperative Group of Myocardial Infarction].

The hospital mortality rates of patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to 10 main hospitals in Shanghai during the period of 1970-1989 were compared with those of different time periods (year 1970-1974, 1975-1979, 1980-1984 and 1985-1989) and the results disclosed a decreasing trend in mortality in later years. The distribution of major prognostic factors were compared among patients admitted in different time periods and no trend to naturally reduced infarct severity on admission was found. On the contrary, the predicted hospital mortality derived from the prognostic function tends to increase in 1980s. It is, therefore, concluded that the recent decline in hospital mortality of acute myocardial infarction observed is the result of progress and improvement in medical care. The way through which mortality was decreased was discussed.