Introduction: The epidemiology of chronic heart failure, specifically its morbidity and mortality, is insufficiently known, despite the fact that it has an important economic impact because of the pharmacological treatment and the high hospitalization rate.
Objective: To analyze the trends of mortality and morbidity of chronic heart failure in Catalonia during the periods 1975-1994 and 1989-1994 respectively.
Patients and methods: Specific mortality and morbidity rates (ages 45-65, and older than 65) were calculated for both sexes. Standardised mortality rates were also calculated for mortality rates using the European population as the reference.
Results: The trend of mortality of chronic heart failure in the population of 45-65 is stable, the rates being higher for men than for women. The trend in the age group older than 65 shows an important increase from 1983 on, higher in women than in men. Morbidity (hospitalization discharge rates) increases slightly in the population of 45-65 years, especially in men; in the population older than 65 an important increase is observed for both sexes.
Conclusions: Trend of mortality is increasing specifically in women older than 65, while trends of morbidity are clearly increasing for both age groups.