Continued decline in cardiovascular disease risk factors: results of the Minnesota Heart Survey, 1980-1982 and 1985-1987.
Systematic, simultaneous surveillance of cardiovascular disease risk factors, morbidity, and mortality is ongoing in the Minnesota Heart Survey. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease were measured in population-based surveys of Twin Cities metropolitan area residents aged 25-74 years in 1980-1982 and 1985-1987. During this period, age-adjusted, average systolic blood pressure declined nonsignificantly in men and significantly in women, and average, age-adjusted diastolic blood pressure declined 1.1 mmHg in men and 0.9 mmHg in women. Between 1980-1982 and 1985-1987, serum total cholesterol declined significantly, 5.2 and 5.8 mg/dl in men and women, respectively. Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased 1.6 mg/dl in men and 0.9 mg/dl in women. The prevalence of cigarette smoking declined by 14% in men and 18% in women. In contrast, the average body mass index increased 0.6 kg/m2 in men and 1.2 kg/m2 in women. Systematic hospital and death certificate surveillance found that mortality rates for coronary heart disease in the Twin Cities metropolitan area declined 20.1% in men and 12.9% in women from 1981 to 1986. Despite difficulties in interpretation of ecologic studies, it appears likely that improvements in population risk factor levels played a role in the decline in disease rates and could influence future mortality trends in this population.
Sprafka
J M
JM
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Burke
G L
GL
Folsom
A R
AR
Luepker
R V
RV
Blackburn
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
D002784:Cholesterol