Introduction: The current study aimed to assess recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality rates and trends in Romania between 1994 and 2017. This dataset is a necessity in the context of the current improvement of emergency protocols, medical addressability, and modernization of hospital infrastructure. Materials and Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of an anonymized mortality database containing all deaths registered in Romania during 1994-2017. AMI crude mortality rates (CMR) and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) were calculated using the European Standard Population. Poisson regression was used for calculating the annual percentage change (APC) in mortality, subsequently used to make mortality predictions through the year 2030. Results: There were 197,152 AMI deaths in women (39.3% of total AMI), and 304,644 (60.7%) in men. Mortality rates were higher in men as compared with women for the entire time covered by the study. Based on the 1994-2017 ASMR dynamics, predictions for the year 2030 showed an overall AMI ASMR of 70.9 (95% CI 69.9-71.9), with gender analysis showing 46.8 (95% CI 45.8-47.9) in women and 104.1 (95% CI 102.3-105.8) in men. Conclusion: Acute myocardial infarction age-standardized mortality rates decreased significantly in Romania between 1994 and 2017 in close correlation to the implementation of national healthcare programs.
Keywords: healthcare programs; life expectancy; mortality trend; myocardial infarction.