Long-term mortality following stroke, myocardial infarction and fractured neck of femur in Western Australia.
BACKGROUND
Population ageing will increase the burden of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and fractured neck of femur (FNF). These age-dependent conditions are associated with increased mortality, although the pattern and extent of this increased mortality is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare mortality from stroke, MI and FNF.


METHODS
Retrospective inception cohort study of 2818 subjects more than the age of 60 years in Western Australia recorded in a linked database as having sustained a stroke, MI or FNF in the year 1990.


RESULTS
Early adjusted mortality rates associated with FNF were relatively low compared with stroke and MI. Medium-term to longer-term mortality associated with FNF was greater than MI, but stroke was associated with the highest long-term adjusted mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
The poorer medium-term to longer-term survival following stroke and FNF (relative to that following MI) may relate to a greater burden of comorbidity. Stroke and FNF may thus be markers of medical frailty.
Beer
C
C
Western Australia Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. cbeer@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Xiao
J
J
Flicker
L
L
Almeida
O P
OP
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality*; D013997:Time Factors