An epidemiological survey for ischemic heart disease was carried on 10, 439 persons above the age of 40 sampled in 15 population groups. The incidence of ischemic heart disease was 20.7% and that of myocardial infarction was 0.9%. Significant difference between sexes was observed. The prevalence of myocardial infarction was higher in male than in female, while the relation was reversed in the incidence of the other types of ischemicheart disease. Although some regional discrepancies in the incidence were observed in some districts in Japan, further investigation should be required to make conclusion.
The increase of ischemic heart disease has been remarkable in recent years in Japan. The cause of an increase of ischemic heart disease seems to be due to the advancement of diagnostic methods, the change of dietary habitus, and the decrease of infectious diseases etc. in Japanese.
Because of the relative low incidence of myocardial infarction in Japan, it is much difficult at present time to assess the efficacy of anticoagulant precisely. However, it was estimated that the administration of anticoagulant within acute stage lowered the death, reinfarct and thromboembolic complications. The reduction of the death rate in anticoagulant group was obvious in the first one year. No difference was apparent in longer-time treatment over one year, but the numbers were too small to exclude such a difference, and the further investigation must be necessary.
