Register-based studies of cardiovascular disease

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Abstract

Introduction: The use of the unique personal identification number in the Nordic database systems enables the researchers to link the registers at the individual level. The registers can be used for both defining specific patient populations and to identify later events during follow-up. This review gives three examples within cardiovascular epidemiology to illustrate the use of the national administrative registers available to all researchers upon request. Research topics: The hospitalisation rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was expected to be increased and case-fatality rate to decrease when the diagnostic criteria were changed in 2000. Linkage of national registers found a relative increase in hospitalisation rate of 14% while the case-fatality rate was unaffected. The pharmacological treatment of AMI patients was evaluated by linkage of administrative data. The use of evidence-based treatment increased significantly over time and adherence to treatment was high. Finally, use of specific nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs by healthy subjects was associated with a dose-dependent increase in cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSION: The nationwide registers have proven very useful in monitoring the hospitalisation rate and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The risk of unmeasured factors affecting the results calls for cautious interpretation of the results.
Original languageEnglish
JournalScandinavian Journal of Public Health
Volume39
Issue numberSuppl 7
Pages (from-to)165-9
Number of pages5
ISSN1403-4948
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011

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