[3 questions and answers from a long-term study of cardiovascular problems in the Most District]

When processing data from the long-term follow-up of cardiovascular diseases in the Most district the author revealed: 1. In the course of 30 years the ratio of older subjects increased in the Most district (men above 60 years, women above 55 years) from 9.1% in 1961 to 17.3% in 1990; the ageing of the population in the Most district is more rapid than corresponds to average data from Czech Republic and the North Bohemian region. 2. In the course of 40 years (1950-1990) the rising trend of hospitalized morbidity on account of all cardiovascular diseases, ischaemic heart disease and myocardial infarction persists. 3. Analysis of the morbidity from cardiovascular diseases in 1989 in the Most district did not reveal any differences as compared with 1976. It was confirmed that the ratio of deaths from cardiovascular diseases rises with age. A limiting factor is also the necropsy rate, in particular as regards patients who did not die in hospital. Particularly alarming is the cardiovascular mortality in the group aged 40-69 years.