Original communicationHeart disease in the Philippines: A seven-year (1947–1953) postwar survey of four Manila General Hospitals

A seven-year (1947–1953) postwar survey of the frequency of heart disease in the Philippines is reported. This survey was based on the case records from the medical and pediatric services from the Santo Tomas University Hospital, the Philippine General Hospital, and the North General Hospital; as well as the medical case records from the V. Luna General Hospital. The data were tabulated to furnish the following information: (a) frequency of heart disease among hospital admissions into these services; (b) number of deaths due to heart disease among all deaths; and (c) number of deaths among the cardiac patients. Of particular interest was the noticeable and apparently progressive rise of the yearly frequency of heart disease among hospital admissions. Rheumatic heart disease was the leading etiologic type. This was followed by hypertensive heart disease and arteriosclerotic (coronary) heart disease in the medical group, and by congenital malformations and beriberi heart disease in the pediatric group. Finally, the data were compared with similar reports from Mexico, New England, and Texas. Certain features of interest were pointed out and discused.