Coronary heart disease mortality trends and related factors in Spain

Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rate in Spain is relatively low, but showed an annual increase of 6.2% for men and of 4.2% for women between 1968 and 1977. There are marked differences in CHD mortality rate between regions. Although there is little data available on the prevalence and trends of CHD risk factors, these data seem to suggest a relatively high level of the main risk factors and a tendency toward adverse development. Socioeconomic and sociocultural changes due to a fast industrial development followed by an economic crisis with high rates of unemployment may produce an unpredictable change in CHD trends in the next years.