Morbidity of acute myocardial infarction in Kaunas (Lithuania) population during 1983-2003

Abstract

Poster. J7 poster session. Background: Over the past 20 years an increasing trend of morbidity rates of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was observed in many Eastern European countries. According to the data of epidemiological studies in Kaunas (Lithuania) conducted in recent years (2001-2002), the prevalence of arterial hypertension in male and female patients became statistically significantly lower, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia did not change, meanwhile the female smoking prevalence increased over the past 10 years. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the trends in morbidity of AMI in Kaunas population during 1983-2003. Methods: Kaunas population-based ischemic heart disease (IHD) register was the source of data. The methods used for data collection were those applied by the WHO MONICA project. The target group was all permanent residents of Kaunas aged 25-64 who experienced AMI in 1983-2003. Trends were analyzed using the method of linear regression on logarithms of the age-standardized annual rates. Results: According to the data of IHD register, among Kaunas men aged 25-64 years the average morbidity rate of AMI was 415.8/100,000 in 1983-2003. From 1983 to 2003, the morbidity of AMI among Kaunas men aged 25-64 years was without significant changes b = -0.4%/yrs, p = 0.2. Among women, the AMI morbidity rates were about five times lower compared to those among men and comprised 86.6/100,000 on average during the study period.