[The epidemiology of coronary heart disease (CHD) in 16 provinces of China. Multi-province Cooperative Group of Cardiovascular Disease Surveillance (MONICA Project)].

This paper presents the cross-section results of epidemiological survey for acute CHD event in sixteen provinces of China, using the data of Multi-province Cooperative Surveillance Study on Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA Project), 1987-1989. The results showed that there were significant differences in geographical distribution of the morbidity and of the mortality of CHD event. The northern provinces had higher rates than southern provinces. There was a positive correlation between the morbidity of CHD and the geographical altitudes. The coefficients of correlation were 0.5 and 0.57 for male and female, respectively (P < 0.05). Male had higher morbidity and mortality than female. The average sex ratio (male/female) for the morbidity was 2.20. There were higher rates in urban areas as compared with those in rural areas. There were higher case fatality rates in most provinces. The average percentage for the death out-of-hospital was 43.91% of the total number of CHD death. The percentage of death within 1 hour after onset accounted for 35.13% of the total number of CHD death. The duration from onset to death was less than 24 hours in 72.96% of the total number of CHD death. The results are of important values for the prevention, treatment and the etiologic study of CHD.