For the last two decades, Korea experienced rapid economic growth, and the life style of Koreans have become more westernized. With the Change in life style, it could have been expected that the pattern of mortality and morbidity for
CVD(cardiovascular
diseases) might also be changed, following the western pattern. This study analyzed the changes in CVD mortality and morbidity, and the change in risk factors for CVD during 1981-1991 in Korea, For the analysis of mortality, nationwide mortality
data
based on the registered deaths were used. For the morbidity analysis, data from the medical insurance were used. To analyze the changes in risk factors for CVD, data from the medical insurance and national surveys were used.
Death rates for cerebrovascular disease increased during 1981-1991 and then decreased thereafter for both sexes. Death rathes for hypertensive disease showed declining trends for both sexes during 1981-1991, the rates for men declined much faster
than
that of women. For ischemic heart disease, death rates have markedly increased for both sexes during 1981-1992(5. 2 and 6. 2 times increase for men and women, respectively). Discharge rates for cerebrovascular disease has increased about 2 times
during
1981-1991 for both sexes. Discharge rates for hypertensive disease have fluctuated for both sexes during the period, but contray to mortality, the differences between men and women in discharge rates have increased. Discharge rates for ischemic
heart
disease showed similar trend with death rates for both sexes. During the same period, the rates increased 4.5 times and 3.9 times for men and women, respectively.
These changes in CVD mortality and morbidity seem to be associated with changes in risk factors for CVD. The major changes in risk factors during the similar period are : marked increase in serum cholesterol level(18 mg/dl increase in mean serum
total
cholesterol) ; increase in dietary intake of fat by 1.4 times ; increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus by about 3 times ; and decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (7 mmHg and 6 mmHg decrease in mean systolic and diastolic
blood
pressure, respectively). To prevent the further undesirable consequences due to the change of these risk factors, special public health actions and researches will be needed.
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