Incidence and fatality of acute myocardial infarction in the community

The incidence rate for acute myocardial infarction (AMI; diagnostic categories "definite AMI" + "possible AMI" + "insufficient data"), defined as number of cases per 10 000 population (20 years and older) and year, are highest in Berlin, GDR (63 for males, 42 for females), intermediate in Budapest (46/22) and lowest in Warsaw (38/21). In Budapest and Warsaw younger and middle-aged men suffer more frequently from AMI than in Berlin, while in the GDR capital AMI is more frequent in older men and women. In younger and middle-aged groups AMI occurs in women ten years later than in men. After standardization for age, the AMI incidence rates are not significantly different between Budapest and Warsaw, but are significantly higher in Berlin, particularly for older women. The standardized fatality rates of AMI (percentage of cases died within 28 days from all cases) for males were equally high for Berlin and Budapest (each about 50%), but in Warsaw significantly lower (42%). For females they are significantly highest in Berlin (69%), intermediate in Budapest (57%) and significantly lowest in Warsaw (40%). This is due mainly to an excess fatality within the oldest groups in the Berlin Register.