Cor Vasa 2011, 53(4-5):260-263 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2011.058

The decline in mortality from coronary heart disease and its main causes

Jan Bruthans

Pracoviště preventivní kardiologie, Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny, Praha, Česká republika

Mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Czech Republic has been decreasing markedly since the mid-1980s, an appreciable decrease in mortality has been seen with acute forms of CHD (acute myocardial infarction - AMI) while mortality from chronic forms of CHD has remained stable in the past decade. Major factors contributing to the decreased mortality rates included decreased cholesterolemia and blood pressure reduction in the population; therapeutic measures included management of heart failure, secondary prevention of AMI, management of acute coronary syndromes, and hypertension control. The trend of decreasing CHD mortality is likely to slow down, with major factors in its further reduction presumably being primary cardiovascular disease prevention, in particular a reduction in smoking rates, consistent treatment of arterial hypertension, consistent secondary prevention in AMI survivors, and management of heart failure.

Keywords: Mortality from coronary heart disease; Acute and chronic coronary heart disease; Risk factors for coronary heart disease; Management of CHD

Published: April 1, 2011  Show citation