Trends in the proportions of stroke subtypes and coronary heart disease in the Japanese men and women from 1995 to 2009

Abstract

Background: The limited evidence on trends in the proportions of stroke subtypes and coronary heart disease in Japan.

Methods and results: Stroke and coronary heart disease registrations from three periods including 1995 to 1999, 2000 to 2004, and 2005 to 2009 were examined for residents aged 55-74 years for each period who were admitted with acute cardiovascular disease. Subjects who experienced an onset of stroke, or coronary heart disease, or moved at the beginning of each period were excluded. There were 3181 cases of strokes and 768 cases of coronary heart disease in 1995-2009. The age-adjusted proportion of intraparenchymal hemorrhage was 34%, 25%, and 24% (p = 0.02) for men, and 27%, 29%, and 30% (p = 0.41) for women; ischemic stroke was 57%, 68%, and 73% (p = 0.002) for men, and 46%, 52%, and 58% (p = 0.02) for women; and embolic infarction was 23%, 31%, and 32% (p < 0.001) for men, and 21%, 23%, and 30% (p = 0.009) for women, respectively. The proportions of sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction among total coronary heart disease did not change during the three periods for either sex.

Conclusions: Between 1995-1999 and 2005-2009, the proportion of intraparenchymal hemorrhage among all types of stroke decreased for men, while the proportions of ischemic stroke among all types of stroke and embolic infarction among ischemic stroke increased for both men and women.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Stroke classification; Stroke subtype; Sudden cardiac death.