Ischemic Heart Disease in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, 1979–1985

In Australia, mortality rates from ischemic heart disease have declined by more than 40 per cent in the last 20 years. To investigate the reasons for this trend, detailed studies are being conducted in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, an area with high heart disease rates. Data on death rates and attack rates from 1979 to 1984-1985 were obtained from three sources: national mortality records, local hospital statistics, and heart disease registers conducted in 1979 and 1984-1985 using World Health Organization protocols. Age-standardized death rates from ischemic heart disease, hospitalization rates for acute myocardial infarction, and attack rates from myocardial infarction determined from the disease registers all showed declines of approximately 3-4 per cent per year from 1979 to 1985. The results differ from findings in New Zealand, where the decrease in ischemic heart disease mortality has been attributed to fewer sudden deaths. These discrepancies demonstrate the need for carefully standardized studies to gain insight into evolving patterns of heart disease in different populations.