title: The impact of the July 2007 heat wave on daily mortality in Belgrade, Serbia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mortality has been shown to increase with heat waves. Serbia experienced the hottest heat wave in July 2007. In this study, we examined patterns of non-traumatic excess mortality in Belgrade during this event.
  
  
  METHODS
  The numbers of deaths observed during the 9-day heat wave were compared to those expected on the basis of mortality rates reported for the previous eight years and two following years. Excess mortality was analyzed by age, gender and cause of death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a total of 167 excess deaths (38%) between 16 and 24 July. People aged 75 years and older accounted for 151 (90%) of all excess deaths. An increase of mortality among elderly was 76% in comparison to the baseline mortality. Excess female mortality was over two times higher than excess male mortality (54% : 23%). The biggest increase in mortality was from diabetes mellitus (286%), chronic kidney disease (200%), respiratory system diseases (73%), and nervous system diseases (67%). Cardiovascular and malignant neoplasms mortality accounted for the highest absolute numbers of excess deaths (77 and 49, respectively). There was no decrease in mortality in the 60-day period after the heat wave.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are several causes of an increase in heat-related mortality. The most vulnerable population group is the elderly females.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Medical Sciences,State University of Novi Pazar, Serbia. draganbogdanovic@gmail.com
authors.forename: Dragan C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bogdanović
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zoran G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Milosević
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Medical Sciences,State University of Novi Pazar, Serbia.
authors.forename: Konstansa K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lazarević
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Medical Sciences,State University of Novi Pazar, Serbia.
authors.forename: Zana C
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Dolićanin
authors.affiliation: Academy for Criminalistic and Police Studies Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragan M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Randelović
authors.affiliation: Public Health Institute Nis, Serbia.
authors.forename: Stefan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bogdanović
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors