title: Effects of the july 1997 floods in the Czech Republic on cardiac mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An excess of deaths from cardiac causes are reported after many natural disasters. Despite the fact that floods are the most common and most destructive natural disaster worldwide, little is known about their effect on human health. We analyzed the influence of the greatest floods in the Czech Republic on cardiac mortality in the affected area.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective case-control study. We analyzed persons whose autopsies proved they had died of cardiac causes during the month of the flood, 2 months before the flood, 1 month after the flood, and during the same period in the 3 previous years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 207 of 985 autopsy reports met the criteria for inclusion in the study. There were no significant differences in the proportions of men and women (P=0.819) or in age (P=0.577). During the month of the flood, an increase in cardiac mortality was observed; however, the increase was not statistically significant (P=0.088).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our findings, the 1997 Central European flood did not significantly affect cardiac mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I - Cardiology,University Hospital Olomouc,Olomouc,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Obrová
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I - Cardiology,University Hospital Olomouc,Olomouc,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eliška
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sovová
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry,Palacky University Olomouc,Department of Social Medicine and Health Policy,Olomouc,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kateřina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ivanová
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I - Cardiology,University Hospital Olomouc,Olomouc,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miloš
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Táborský
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Medical Law,Olomouc,Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Svatopluk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loyka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002423:Cause of Death; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D055868:Floods / Q000401:mortality*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: vulnerable populations