Related Experiment Videos
Surprising decline of cardiovascular mortality in Switzerland: 1951-1976
Insights
Cardiovascular disease mortality significantly decreased in Switzerland between 1951 and 1976, outperforming other developed nations. Despite lifestyle changes like increased animal fat intake and oral contraceptive use, circulatory system deaths saw substantial reductions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
Background:
- Circulatory system diseases represent a significant cause of mortality globally.
- Understanding trends in cardiovascular disease mortality is crucial for public health interventions.
- Switzerland experienced notable demographic and lifestyle shifts during the mid-20th century.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in circulatory system disease mortality in Switzerland from 1951 to 1976.
- To compare Switzerland's cardiovascular mortality trends with 13 other developed countries.
- To investigate potential contributing factors to observed mortality changes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of age-standardised death rates for circulatory system diseases.
- Comparison of mortality data with national lifestyle indicators (diet, smoking, drug use).
- Comparative analysis with international mortality data.
Main Results:
- Age-standardised death rates for circulatory diseases decreased by 22% in males and 43% in females.
- Significant reductions were observed in non-rheumatic heart disease, hypertension, and cerebrovascular disease mortality.
- Switzerland's mortality reductions exceeded those in 13 other studied developed countries.
Conclusions:
- Switzerland achieved greater reductions in circulatory disease mortality than comparable nations during the study period.
- Lifestyle factors, including increased animal fat consumption and oral contraceptive use, coincided with declining mortality.
- Economic recession was associated with a rise in non-rheumatic heart disease and hypertension mortality.
Abstract:
In Switzerland the age-standardised death rate for 'all diseases of the circulatory system' decreased by 22% in males and by 43% in females between 1951 and 1976, which represented a third and nearly a half respectively of the decrease in all deaths. Mortality was reduced by 13% in males and by 40% in females for non-rheumatic heart disease and hypertension, and by 36% and 47% respectively for cerebrovascular disease. These reductions were on the whole greater than those observed in the 13 other developed countries studied. From 1951 to 1976 consumption of animal fats per caput increased by 20% in Switzerland, in spite of a 46% reduction in milk intake. Throughout the same period, smoking increased among women while it remained steady or possibly declined in men. During the last decade a threefold rise in the sales of antihypertensive drugs was observed. Oral contraceptives seem to have been widely used by Swiss women since the 1960s. There were also increases in the proportion of women in professional occupations, and in urbanisation. The advent of the economic recession was associated with a sudden rise in mortality from non-rheumatic heart disease and hypertension in 1974-76.