Trends for Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Diseases in Japan

Abstract

We presented trends of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases in a rural population, northeastern Japan between the 1960s and the 1990s. Population blood pressure levels declined substantially with improved medical treatment for hypertension and reduction of mean dietary sodium intake from 20g/day to 14g/day. Serum total cholesterol increased from 152mg/dl to 185mg/dI for men, and 163mg/dI to 195mg/dI for women with an increased intake of meat, egg, milk and dairy products. Age-adjusted incidence rate of stroke declined 75% while that of coronary heart disease was low and stable. The prevalence of stroke and the number of stroke patients also declined in spite of an increase of the elderly. Furthermore, the number of severely- disabled stroke patients, so called bed-ridden patients decreased a half. The substantial decline in stroke incidence, prevalence along with the decline of blood pressure levels suggest an effect of population hypertension control program conducted since 1963. In nationwide, however, an increase in the prevalence of stroke patients and the number of severely disabled patients among the elderly were reported. Primary prevention of stroke through control and prevention of hypertension should be further augmented nationwide to reduce a public health burden from the disabled stroke patients in the elderly. J Epidemiol, 1996 ; 6 : S183-S188.