Trends in hospitalization due to cardiovascular conditions sensitive to primary health care.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the trend in hospitalizations for primary care-sensitive cardiovascular conditions for residents of the state of Paraná, Brazil, from 2000 to 2011. METHODS Ecological, time series study of the rates of hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases in residents aged 35-74 years old by sex, age and main diagnosis for hospitalization. Data from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SIH-SUS) and polynomial regression models for trend analyses were used. RESULTS Hospitalization rates for cardiovascular conditions decreased during the period (r2 = 0.96; p < 0.001), with similar decreasing patterns for males and females, in all age ranges, although always higher for males. Although hospitalization trends for hypertension, heart failure and cerebrovascular disease decreased, angina remained stable for males and females. CONCLUSION A downward trend in hospital admissions due to primary care-sensitive cardiovascular conditions in the state of Paraná between 2000 and 2011 may have resulted from the expansion of the health network of and the access to primary health attention, as well as other factors that influence this set of diseases, such as improved socioeconomic conditions of the population, organization of primary care services for higher age ranges and women and decrease in risk factors.