[Epidemiologic surveillance of ischemic heart disease in the population of Pavia in 1986-1995].
BACKGROUND
In Italy mortality for coronary heart disease is continuously decreasing in males and females. However, it is not yet clear how much of this decline is attributable to a longer survival of coronary heart disease patients or to a real decreased incidence in the population. The aim of this paper was to analyze coronary heart disease mortality trends in the population of Pavia, case-fatality rates and acute myocardial infarction attack rates.


METHODS
Mortality surveillance was carried out by the Epidemiological Unit of the ASL of Pavia; acute myocardial infarction attack rates were estimated from regional admission data for the Pavia population. The target population (1991 Census) was represented by two groups: the first was equal to 49,326 residents (23,627 males and 25,699 females) 45-64 years of age, the second was equal to 17,208 residents (7236 males and 9972 females) 65-74 years of age.


RESULTS
The decline in mortality was mainly observed in males aged 45-64. Acute myocardial infarction attack rates showed a decline in 45-64 men and an increase in the oldest age group.


CONCLUSIONS
The surveillance of coronary heart disease epidemiological data from 1986 to 1995 in this population showed a decreased mortality mainly attributable to the decline of attack rates in the youngest and only to case-fatality rates in the oldest age group.
Dipartimento di Medicina Preventiva, Occupazionale e di Communità, Università degli Studi, Pavia.
M
M
Colucciello
C
C
Fratti
F
F
Cabras
A
A
Filippin
G
G
Pacileo
M T
MT
Tenconi
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000401:mortality*; D011159:Population Surveillance