Cardiologists to measure the impact of influenza mortality

Cardiologists to measure the impact of influenza on mortality
J. C. Ambrojo - Barcelona - 27/10/2009
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The Spanish Society of Cardiology has decided to establish periodically a report on the impact of cardiovascular disease mortality. So will know how to impact short-term factors, such as influenza A, a medium such as a possible tightening of the law on tobacco, as long as changes in diet.

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For now, the first of these works, the ESA 2009, shows that 31% of deaths in Spain (124,000 people) is due to this group of diseases. Is the leading cause of death, according to the paper presented at the Cardiovascular Disease Congress held last week in Barcelona.
If the flu epidemic does not change these figures, it means that "the strategy of vaccination has been successful," said Esteban López de Sá, secretary of the SEC. Also can compare policy actions and effects of anti-smoking legislation (in Italy banning smoking in public places has reduced by 15% CVD).
According to the report, based on the records of the National Institute of Statistics, Andalucía, Valencia and Canary Islands are the communities with higher levels of mortality from cardiovascular disease. Cantabria and the Basque Country are below average.
To explain these differences are necessary studies on risk factors such as obesity, smoking and hypertension, and habits of the population, says Carlos Macaya, chairman of the SEC. European health survey may provide such data from 2010. So far, in Spain "is extrapolated epidemiological studies conducted as well MONICA [covers Catalonia] and REGICOR [for the province of Girona]."