Resumen

SEUC, Armando H; DOMINGUEZ ALONSO, Emma; TORRES VIDAL, Rosa María  y  VARONA PEREZ, Patricia. Some clarifications about the mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Cuba. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2011, vol.37, n.1. ISSN 0864-3466.

Introduction Heart diseases are still the first cause of death in Cuba. The impact of cardiovascular mortality in terms of Potential Lost Life Years from Premature Death has not been extensively addressed nationwide. Objectives to describe the mortality and the impact on the life expectancy (expressed as Potential Lost Life Years from Premature Death) in Cuba in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005, for a group of heart disease-related sub-causes. Methods The study used the mortality records of the National Division of Statistics in the above-mentioned years, the rates were sex- and age-adjusted by the direct method in comparison to 1990. The potential lost life years from premature death were estimated for five-year period age groups by using life expectancy for the year 2000. The heart diseases were broken down to five sub-causes. Results The acute myocardial infarct was the first cause of death in the studied period, with important tendency to decrease whereas "other ischemic diseases" was the second cause tending to slight increase. The gap in the mortality rates by sex in Cuba is lower than that reported in several developed countries, particularly in ischemic heart diseases; there are some underutilized potentialities for further reduction of female mortality. In the 1990-2000 period, sizeable reductions in mortality rates per various heart disease sub-causes were reached; however, the respective mortality rates have stabilized or have returned to an increasing tendency from 2000 on. Conclusions It is suggested that mortality from other heart ischemic diseases be considered together with the mortality from acute myocardial infarct and that possibilities to reduce even more female mortality be explored.

Palabras clave : Heart diseases; disease burden; mortality; Cuba.

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