Korean Circ J.  1974 Dec;4(2):47-58. 10.4070/kcj.1974.4.2.47.

Heart Diseases in Korea

• Park YJ
• Lee SH
• Lee YW

• KMID: 1667809
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.1974.4.2.47

Abstract

Statistical observation was made on 2,639 cases with heart disease which has been seen in the Deparment of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, in Korea, during the past 15 years ranging from January 1959 to December 1973. The results were as follows; 1. During the last 15 years, 2,639 cases with heart disease were observed, which represents about 12.9% of total 20,434 medical In-patients, and variable incidence for the consecutive years was noted. 2. The disease occurred most frequently in group aged under thirty and its incidence decreased in the fifth and sixth decades. 3. The incidence in male was 49.8% and in female 50.2%, the ratio of which was almost same. 4. The most common etiologic form of heart disease was hypertensive heart disease which occurred in 43.2% of all cardiac patients, corresponding to 5.57% of all In-patients. The incidence was most frequent in the sixth decade and decreased in the fifth and fourth decades with the male preponderance. 5. The second common heart disease was rheumatic heart disease, 31.6% of all cardiac patients, corresponding to 4.08% of all In-patients. It affected the mitral valve in most of the cases, whereas involvement of the aortic valve was rare. 6. Coronary heart disease, the third common heart disease, occurred in 5.1% of all cardiac patients, and most frequently in sixth and seventh decades. it affected male 2.5 times more frequently than female. 7. Postpartum heart failure and beriberi heart disease showed 3.8% and 3.1% respectively. They occurred more frequently in younger female, but the frequency was much decreased recently. 8. Pericarditis occured in 2.6% of all cardiac patients and tuberculosis was still a common cause of pericarditis. 9. Congenital heart disease was seen in 1.7% of the cases and patent ductus arteriosus, tetralogy of Fallot, atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect occupied 76% of all congenital heart disease. 10. Cor pulmonale was present in 1.6%, arrhythmia 1.3%, cardiomyopathy 1.3%, thyroid heart disease 0.8%, endocarditis 0.7% and syphilitic heart disease 0.2%.

MeSH Terms

Aortic Valve
Arrhythmias, Cardiac
Beriberi
Cardiomyopathies
Coronary Disease
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent
Endocarditis
Female
Heart Defects, Congenital
Heart Diseases*
Heart Failure
Heart Septal Defects, Atrial
Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular
Heart*
Humans
Incidence
Internal Medicine
Korea*
Male
Mitral Valve
Pericarditis
Postpartum Period
Pulmonary Heart Disease
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Tetralogy of Fallot
Thyroid Gland
Tuberculosis