[Trends in mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Andalucia: 1975-1992].

BACKGROUND

Decrease in mortality due to cardiovascular diseases during last years seems to be a widespread phenomenon in industrialized countries. This study analyses the evolution of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in Andalucía, Spain, from 1975 to 1992. The analysis has been carried out for ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and cardiovascular diseases as a whole.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data of mortality have been obtained from the Natural Movement of the Population. From these data, both the annual standardized rates for age and sex through the direct method and percentage differences between 1975 and 1992, have been estimated.

RESULTS

Decrease in mortality due to cardiovascular diseases for men was of 33.5% between 1975 and 1992, with 13.8% in the ischemic cardiopathy and 46.0% for cerebrovascular diseases. For women, reduction was of 33.8, 29.3 and 42.4% respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In Andalucía and for the period analyzed, mortality due to cardiovascular diseases is clearly decreasing. Such a reduction has been produced mainly for the cerebrovascular diseases, and it is remarkable the low percentage of the average decrease due to ischemic heart disease for men during the last years.