Comparison of the attack rates of acute myocardial infarction in two Belgian towns

Abstract

Comparison of the attack rates for acute myocardial infarction in two Belgian towns AMI attack rates in two Belgian towns. Belgium is divided in two main regions: Flanders in the North with a Dutch-speaking population, and Wallonia in the South with a French-speaking community. From 1982 onwards, a register of acute myocardial infarction has been in operation in Ghent, a Flemish town, and in Charleroi in Wallonia, following the procedures of the MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases) study. Annual attack rates of myocardial infarction are presented for a 5-year period. During this period, the annual attack rates for men are 10-20% higher in Charleroi than Ghent. In women, the ratio between the two cities is less clear. The results of this community registers confirms the regional differences observed previously in Belgium using other epidemiological techniques.