Mortality attributed to myocardial infarction in the male and female population of Salvador, BA, between 1981 and 1996.

OBJECTIVE To describe according to gender the trend in mortality attributed to myocardial infarction (MI) in the population of Salvador, Bahia between 1981 and 1996. METHODS This study was on mortality due to MI estimates by period and gender of the city of Salvador, Bahia. Data from 1981 to 1996 were stratified by quadrienia, and the percentage reduction in death rate due to MI relative to the preceding period (PRR) was determined. Comparisons between genders were expressed by the male/female death ratio (DR) based on the gender-related PPR. RESULTS An overall increase of approximately 8% was observed in the death rate attributed to MI for the period 1985-1988 (89.2/10 5 individuals / year) versus the period 1981-1984 (82.1/10(5)/ year). In the subsequent periods, overall reductions of 10% and 20.3% were observed for the periods 1989-1992 and 1993-1996, respectively. For men, the PPRs were 11.1 in the period 1989-1992 and 22.7% in the period 1993-1996. The PPRs in women were lower: 8.6% and 17.4% between 1989 and 1992, and 1993 and 1996, respectively. Death rate reduction was greater for men than women, then the male/female DR decreased from 1.66 in 1981-1984 to 1.35 in 1993-1996. CONCLUSION The results indicate a trend towards a reduction in the death rate attributed to myocardial infarction in the city of Salvador from the second half of the 1980s onwards, striking in men.