The decline of ischaemic heart disease mortality in the ARIC study communities. The ARIC Study Investigators.

Age-adjusted, population-weighted mortality rates of ischaemic heart disease (1968-78) and all cardiovascular diseases (1962-82) are presented for the four study communities investigated by the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Temporal trends in mortality rates and differences by gender, race and study community are discussed. There is an overall pattern of decline in ischaemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease mortality in the four study areas, but the onset and the magnitude of the decline differ markedly by study community, race and gender. Preliminary data on population levels of selected cardiovascular risk factors measured in the ARIC Study cohort participants are also presented.