Resumo

SOSA LIPRANDI, María I.; HARWICZ, Paola S.  e  SOSA LIPRANDI, Álvaro. Cause of Death and Mortality Trends in Women in Argentina: a 23 year survey. Rev. argent. cardiol. [online]. 2006, vol.74, n.5, pp.297-303. ISSN 1850-3748.

Objectives Our aim was to analyze mortality trends and to evaluate the impact of cardiovascular mortality in women in Argentina during the period 1980-2003. Material and methods We analyzed the Vital Statistics database supplied by the National Ministry of Health and the Environment. Coding criteria for death certificates were based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD, Revisions 9 and 10). We calculated the annual crude mortality rate for each diagnosis in the general population and the specific age and sex-adjusted rate per 100,000 people, according to national census data. Results There was a 34% decrease in overall crude annual cardiovascular mortality. The decreasing trend was more prominent in men (35%) than in women (27%). During 2003, in women, cardiovascular mortality (33%) was higher than mortality due to cancer (18%). The greatest impact was seen in women older than 75 years; in whom mortality rate due to heart failure and cerebrovascular disease doubled the rate in men. Conclusions Cardiovascular mortality is the leading cause of death among women. Since 1980 until present, the relative frequency of cardiovascular death in women has exceeded that of men. Moreover, in the last 23 years, the decreasing trend has been more significant in men. From age 65 on, women suffer the greatest impact from cardiovascular mortality. These observations reinforce the need to raise awareness and implement early cardiovascular preventive and educational strategies in the community.

Palavras-chave : Women; Mortality; Epidemiology; Vital statistics.