ANNUAL AND SEASONAL TRENDS IN MORTALITY RATES FROM CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN HUNGARY BETWEEN 1984 AND 2013

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate annual and seasonal trends in mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases in Hungary between 1984 and 2013. Methods: Annual and monthly mortality and population data were obtained from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. The annual mortality data by gender and age were available for the following disease classifications of the circulatory system: all cardiovascular diseases, all diseases of the heart, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular diseases. Six age groups were defined for both sexes. Negative binomial regression was carried out to analyse annual trends in age-standardized mortality rates. The Walter-Elwood method was used to identify seasonal variation using monthly numbers of deaths. Results: Significant decreases in annual mortality rates for all cardiovascular diseases were found, but not for hypertension. Age-standardized death rates were higher for men for all causes, except for hypertension. The greatest sex difference in the average risk of death was observed in the middle-aged groups. The greatest percentage decrease in death rates during the study period was seen for both sexes in the under 35 age group. The lowest percentage change was observed among people aged over 75. Significant seasonality was found in monthly death rates from all causes, with a peak in February. Conclusions: In spite of a decreasing trend in the annual mortality rates for cardiovascular diseases, the Hungarian mortality rate is still high. Moreover, this study demonstrated a significant winter peak in mortality from cardiovascular diseases over a thirty-year period.