Secular trends in ischemic heart disease mortality in California versus the United States, 1980 to 1991.

We compare the recent trends in ischemic heart disease mortality in California and the United States. Because California was among the first states to have declines in ischemic heart disease mortality, an examination of these recent trends may provide important clues for upcoming national trends. Age-adjusted and -specific ischemic heart disease mortality rates were calculated by sex for persons aged 35 and older during the years 1980 to 1991. Log-linear regression modeling was used to estimate the average annual percentage change in mortality. Between 1980 and 1991, the annual age-adjusted ischemic heart disease mortality declined less in California than in the United States for both women (1.9% versus 3.1%) and men (3.1% versus 3.5%). In California, it increased slightly between 1986 and 1990 for the oldest women and men. The slower rates of decline in mortality of this disease in California compared with the United States and the rising rates among the most elderly Californians suggest that careful attention should be paid to these trends in death rates of and risk factors for this disease in California.