Fjölrit RALA - 22.03.1979, Page 97

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1971-76 shows a striking increase in all male age groups
except older than 80, but there is no significant change
in the female groups. In table II a special comparison
is made between the periods 1965-70 and 1971-76, by cal-
culating the expected death rate for 1971-76 from the ac-
tual rates in 1965-70, and increase in population is also
taken into account.
In the male group there have been 20 deaths in 1971-76
in excess of expected, but in the female group there
have been 105 fewer deaths than expected. The differ-
ence between the periods was not significant
neither for single age groups nor the whole group,
2
tested by X square test.
(3) Hypertensive heart disease: Figure 4 shows an increase
in the relative death rate for both sexes up to 1960 but
then it decreases to 50% in the male and 67% in the fe-
male group, of the initial state.
From table III it can be seen that the death rate was
12.2% of that for coronary artery disease in the period
1951-55 ( 5% males, 18.4% females), but in the period,
the same percentage was 2.6% (1.4% males, 3.9% females).
There seems little doubt that a real decrease in mortal-
ity from hypertensive heart disease has occurred due to
better treatment by new antihypertensive drugs. A small
decrease due to displacement from hypertensive heart di-
sease to coronary artery disease, cannot be excluded.
Discussion:
The results suggest that a change in diagnostic fashion
of heart disease has occurred during the period of study.
One diagnostic category, myocardial degeneration, commonly
used in the earlier periods has nearly disappeared in later
periods, probably mostly due to displacement to coronary
artery disease. In order to obtain a meaningful comparison
for the whole period, the two diagnostic categories have there-
fore been combined. When this correction has been done, it be-
comes clear that the mortality from coronary artery disease has
increased for males by 150% in the three youngest age groups