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Status of cardiovascular disease in Puerto Rico

Mario R García-Palmieri1

  • 1Section of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico. mgarcia@rcm.upr.edu

Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal
|May 6, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Cancer surpassed heart disease as Puerto Rico's leading cause of death in 2002, primarily due to updated classification systems and census data. This shift impacts public health priorities and cardiovascular care strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

  • Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in Puerto Rico for 40 years.
  • Cancer was historically the second leading cause of mortality.
  • Recent data indicates a significant shift in leading causes of death.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the change in leading causes of death in Puerto Rico for 2002.
  • To investigate the impact of updated classification systems (ICD-10) and census data on mortality statistics.
  • To provide updated statistics on cardiovascular health and training programs.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of National Vital Statistics from the Department of Health of Puerto Rico for 2002.
  • Comparison of mortality data using ICD-10 classification versus ICD-9.
  • Inclusion of 2000 census data compared to 1990 census data.
  • Review of life expectancy, cause-specific mortality, cardiovascular services, and training programs.

Main Results:

  • Cancer emerged as the leading cause of death in 2002, with heart disease ranking second.
  • This change is attributed to the implementation of ICD-10 and the use of 2000 census data.
  • Data on life expectancy, mortality trends, and cardiovascular services are presented.

Conclusions:

  • The reclassification of mortality data significantly altered the leading causes of death in Puerto Rico.
  • This epidemiological shift necessitates a review of public health strategies and resource allocation.
  • The study highlights the importance of data accuracy and consistent methodology in public health surveillance.

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