Sudden coronary death in the United States: 1980-1985.

To describe patterns of an indicator of sudden coronary death, data from the National Center for Health Statistics were examined for deaths occurring out of hospital and in the emergency room (OH/ER) from 1980 to 1985 in 40 states. In 1985, 56% of ischemic heart disease deaths occurred OH/ER among persons aged 35-74 years. The percentage occurring OH/ER declined with age, was higher in men than women, and higher in blacks than whites. At age 55-64, 61% of ischemic heart disease deaths in white and 66% in black men occurred OH/ER. Between 1980 and 1985, age-adjusted death rates in white men aged 35-74 years declined 19% for OH/ER and 18% for in-hospital ischemic heart disease deaths. The percentage of deaths in ER increased. The decline in deaths occurring OH/ER accounted for 61% of the total absolute decline in ischemic heart disease death rate in white men, 55% in white women, and about 70% in nonwhites. The decline in rates of death OH/ER should encourage further efforts at preventing coronary heart disease and improving emergency medical services.

[1]  E. McCarthy.  Inpatient utilization of short-stay hospitals, by diagnosis. , 1982, Vital and health statistics. Series 13, Data from the National Health Survey.

[2]  D. Lackland,et al.  Acute myocardial infarction: period prevalence, case fatality, and comparison of black and white cases in urban and rural areas of South Carolina. , 1985, American heart journal.

[3]  C. Furberg.  Overview of completed sudden death trials: US experience. , 1987, Cardiology.

[4]  J. Alpert,et al.  Incidence and case fatality rates of acute myocardial infarction (1975-1984): the Worcester Heart Attack Study. , 1988, American heart journal.

[5]  L. Melton,et al.  Coronary heart disease in residents of Rochester, Minnesota. VII. Incidence, 1950 through 1982. , 1986, Mayo Clinic proceedings.

[6]  R. Gillum,et al.  Community surveillance for cardiovascular disease: the Framingham cardiovascular disease survey. Some methodological problems in the community study of cardiovascular disease. , 1976, Journal of chronic diseases.

[7]  P. Sorlie,et al.  Statistical consequences of variation in cause-of-death terminology for chronic ischemic heart disease. , 1987, Maryland medical journal.

[8]  D. Spodick.  Multiple risk factor intervention trial. , 1985, The American journal of cardiology.

[9]  K. Kupka,et al.  International classification of diseases: ninth revision. , 1978, WHO chronicle.

[10]  R. Gillum.  Acute myocardial infarction in the United States, 1970-1983. , 1987, American heart journal.

[11]  R. Gillum,et al.  Coronary heart disease in black populations. II. Risk factors. , 1982, American heart journal.

[12]  P. Sorlie,et al.  The effect of physician terminology preference on coronary heart disease mortality: an artifact uncovered by the 9th revision ICD. , 1987, American journal of public health.

[13]  M. Oliver.  Lack of impact of prevention on sudden cardiac death. , 1985, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[14]  G. Reeder.  Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine , 1984 .

[15]  A. Hallstrom,et al.  Paramedic programs and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: II. Impact on community mortality. , 1979, American journal of public health.

[16]  A. Folsom,et al.  Out-of-hospital coronary death in an urban population--validation of death certificate diagnosis. The Minnesota Heart Survey. , 1987, American journal of epidemiology.

[17]  R. Hoffmann,et al.  Comparison of outcome of resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in persons younger and older than 70 years of age. , 1988, The American journal of cardiology.

[18]  W. Fayerweather,et al.  Trends in the incidence of myocardial infarction and in associated mortality and morbidity in a large employed population, 1957-1983. , 1985, The New England journal of medicine.

[19]  L. Kuller,et al.  Demographic Characteristics and Trends in Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease Mortality: Sudden Death and Myocardial Infarction , 1975, Circulation.

[20]  A. Folsom,et al.  Sudden death and acute myocardial infarction in a metropolitan area, 1970-1980. The Minnesota Heart Survey. , 1983, The New England journal of medicine.

[21]  A. Folsom,et al.  Decline in coronary heart disease mortality. Old questions and new facts. , 1984, The American journal of medicine.

[22]  A Hallstrom,et al.  Paramedic programs and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: I. Factors associated with successful resuscitation. , 1979, American journal of public health.

[23]  W. Kannel,et al.  Sudden death: lessons from subsets in population studies. , 1985, Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

[24]  R. Gillum.  Coronary heart disease in black populations. I. Mortality and morbidity. , 1982, American heart journal.