Trends in premature mortality rates among the Polish population due to cardiovascular diseases

At the end of the 20th century, after years of negligence in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, Poland was struggling with very high premature mortality. The period of 1991-2005 brought significant improvements since the general public introduced beneficial dietary modifications. This paper aims to analyze the changes in the rate of premature mortality due to tobacco-dependent cardiovascular diseases in Poland in 2008-2017.

The time trends of deaths occurring under the age of 65 years caused by ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysm were analyzed. Both standardized and crude premature mortality rates were used, as well as mortality rates for patients grouped into 5-year age ranges with a breakdown by gender. The joinpoint model was used to determine these time trends.

Premature mortality due to the analyzed cardiovascular diseases decreased linearly in 2008-2017. In the case of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases, the decrease amounted to approx. 5% per year, both in the female and male population. However, in the case of atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms, the rate of mortality reduction ranged 4-7% per year. The reduction concerned all the examined age groups, but with different dynamics. The most considerable annual decrease was observed in the group of patients aged 40-44 years (7.9% for females and 8.9% for males). Along with the increase in age, the dynamics of reduction decreased.

In 2008-2017, Poland experienced a decline in premature mortality due to tobacco-related cardiovascular diseases, particularly in the age group of 40-44 years. The decline may have been associated, among other things, with a reduction in exposure to tobacco smoke, one of the cardiovascular risk factors. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(1):27-38.