Heart disease mortality: international comparisons

In the United States mortality from diseases of the heart has declined 42 percent in women and 43 percent in men since 1968. This encouraging trend occurred among all racial groups and was experienced in virtually all age categories. Because of comparable progress in other countries, this substantial United States achievement has not resulted in any significant recent gains in international ranking of the United States and other highly industrialized countries. Nevertheless, U.S. progress has been significant. In 1990 the United States mortality rate for men ranked ninth (a slight improvement) and for women 11th (no change).