Abstract

MOHAMAD, Himara; ALFONSO, Candelaria  and  AVILAN ROVIRA, José Miguel. Tasa de mortalidad específica, según género y edad, de la enfermedad de Alzheimer en Venezuela. Gac Méd Caracas [online]. 2002, vol.110, n.4, pp.512-516. ISSN 0367-4762.

Alzheimer disease is included within the group of neurodegenerative diseases, and is characterized by the loss of neurons in specific brain regions. In the present work, the mortality rate of Alzheimer disease in Venezuela (1988-1998) was determined as well as the distribution of deaths in the different federal entities. The source of death numbers was obtained from the epidemiological yearbook of the health and social development office. In the evaluated period of time, the Alzheimer disease mortality rate (x 10⁶ inhabitants) increased linearly for men and women; for the females the rate increased from 0.22 in 1988 to 5.7 in 1998; meanwhile, in male passed from 0 to 4.70; in addition, it was greater for females and increased exponentially with age. Differences were observed for the death rates in various country federal entities.

Keywords : Neurodegenerative diseases; Mortality; Public health.