Gender- and age-specific trends in coronary heart disease mortality in France from 2000 to 2007: results from the MONICA registers:

Background:Several recent studies in the USA, the UK and Australia have raised concern about a possible plateau or even reverse trend in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in younger populations. We aimed to assess the recent gender- and age-specific trends in CHD mortality among inhabitants aged 35–74 years from the three geographical areas covered by the French MONICA population registers.Methods:Registered events were fatal myocardial infarctions and coronary deaths selected after a thorough investigation by the physician who signed the death certificate, general practitioners and cardiologists, and by public and private hospitals for in-hospital deaths.Results:From 2000 to 2007 age-standardized CHD mortality rates decreased significantly by 24% in men and 38% in women. In the age group 55–74, the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in mortality was −5.2 (95% confidence interval: −6.6 to −3.7; p < 10−4) among men and −9.0 (−11.6 to −6.4; p < 10−4) among women. In the 35–54 age group, the EAPC...