Uses of the record linkage in planning services for the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease

During the past three decades mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) has declined dramatically. This is believed to be due to both declining incidence and improved survival in those with clinical disease although the contributions of public health programs on the one hand, and clinical interventions on the other, is hard to quantify. While aged standardised hospital admissions rates for acute coronary and stroke events have declined, hospital admission rates for CVD continue to increase (Figure 1), driven principally by investigation for and performance of coronary artery revascularization procedures (CARPs). The use of selected pharmacological agents for prevention and treatment of CVD has also increased dramatically. Some of the major issues in planning and evaluation of services for CVD are thus: