Epidemiology of Decline in Heart Disease Mortality

To continue a study of premature coronary heart disease mortality among men and women aged 35-54 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND:

The decline in coronary heart disease mortality apparently began around 1963 in the United States and increased in intensity in later years. In the 35-44 age groups the decline began somewhat later, perhaps around 1968. The decline has been found in all four race sex groups and in all age groups including the very old. This decline has also been noted in many other countries besides the United States. The decline of coronary heart disease mortality could obviously be a function of either a change in incidence or in case fatality or both. During the time of this decline in coronary heart disease mortality a great many changes were occurring both in the care of the cardiac patients and changes in risk factors. The fact that the decline occurred across all age as well as race, and sex groups as well as in many other countries suggested that one single factor may not have accounted for the decline.

It was very unlikely that the decline of sudden death was due to improved out-of-hospital care or an early recognition of symptoms. The three percent per year decline suggested that acute precipitating factors other than the underlying atherosclerosis were the most likely factors to account for the decline, especially in the younger age groups of men.

The study was designed to evaluate whether the decrease in coronary heart disease mortality was real or due to an artifact of certification practices or accuracy of diagnosis. The design was based on the fact that the best opportunity to study the decline was in the 35-44 age group.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

A retrospective review was made of all death certificates certified to coronary heart disease, all other cardiovascular deaths, and all non-traumatic but possibly sudden deaths certified by the coroner. The review included autopsy records, coroner's reports, hospital records, information from certifying physicians, and interviews with next-of-kin or witnesses. A determination was made of the contribution to the decline of out-of-hospital sudden death and prior history of heart disease, other diseases, and possibly cigarette smoking. The changing mode of death for in-hospital deaths was also evaluated.

The study completion date listed in this record was obtained from the "End Date" entered in the Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) record.

Study Type

Observational

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

No older than 100 years (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

No eligibility criteria

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 1983

Study Completion (Actual)

November 1, 1996

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 25, 2000

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 25, 2000

First Posted (Estimate)

May 26, 2000

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

May 13, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 12, 2016

Last Verified

May 1, 2000

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1034
  • R37HL030793 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Heart Diseases

3
Subscribe