Compensated mortality of cardiovascular disease in the States of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul from 1980 to 1999

Objective

To compare trends in mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the State and City of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, with that observed in the States of Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo (SP) and their capitals between 1980 and 1999.

Methods

The annual death data were collected from DATASUS, and population data from IBGE. The crude and adjusted (for age and sex, by the direct method, with the standard population of RJ, age 20 or older, in 2000) mortality rates were obtained. Because a considerable increase in mortality rates due to ill-defined causes of death in RJ was observed from 1990 onwards, defined deaths were compensated by ill-defined causes preliminary to adjustments. The trends were analysed by linear regressions.

Results

The annual rate declines of the compensated and adjusted mortality due to CVD varied from -11.3 to -7.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in RJ and the city of SP, respectively. These declines due to ischemic heart diseases (IHD) were similar among RJ and Porto Alegre, and lower in the city of SP (-2.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants). The declines due to cerebrovascular diseases (CRVD) varied from -6.0 to -2.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants at the State of Rio and Porto Alegre, respectively.

Conclusions

A steady decline in compensated and adjusted mortality rates due to CVD, IHD and CRVD was observed in all three states and capitals, between 1980 and 1999. In RJ the decline of IHD mortality rates was remarkable after 1990. The decline in mortality rates due to CRVD occurred since 1980.