Abstract P398: Are the Trends in Age-Standardized Rates and Crude Numbers of Coronary Events Diverging? Results from the FINAMI Study for the Years 1993-2007

Background and Aims: Age-standardized rates of acute coronary events have been declining in all western countries. Concerns have been raised, however, that the absolute numbers of cases may be increasing due to the aging of the population. We examined trends in acute coronary events using data from the FINAMI myocardial infarction (MI) register. We also analyzed trends in coronary and other cardiac events in the whole country, using both age-standardized rates and crude numbers of cases to elucidate the effect of aging of the population. Methods: FINAMI is a population-based MI register, which aims at registering all MI events occurring in the populations aged 35 or over in five geographical areas of Finland. Hospital records, death certificates and other relevant documents were scrutinized and cases were classified to diagnostic categories as recommended by the AHA in 2003. To obtain information on the whole country we used record linkage of the National Hospital Discharge Register and Causes of Death Re...