Dependence of cold-related coronary and respiratory symptoms on age and exposure to cold.

Cold causes cardiopulmonary stress often perceived as shortness of breath or chest pain, and causes exacerbation of these symptoms in persons suffering heart or lung disease. We investigated the prevalence of these symptoms and their association with sex, age and cold exposure in a population-based sample of 1,785 persons who lived in three areas of Finland. The exposure to cold was measured by the annual number cold days (mean daily temperature below 0 degree C) in the resident locality and weekly hours spent in the cold in winter.

Seasonal variation of deaths in Finland--is it still diminishing?

The seasonal variation of deaths in Finland during the period 1961-1995, and its possible diminution over time was examined on a daily and monthly basis. The daily pattern of deaths over the year was asymmetric, with a very steep rise in December (peak on December 26), a slow rise in late winter and spring, a secondary rise in June (peak on June 24) and a trough in late August. The December peak was 26% higher than the August trough and showed no diminution over the period studied.

Surveying mortality in northern Finland: two towns with contrasting trends.

Mortality was compared in two major towns in northern Finland (Kemi and Oulu), which according to previous studies have high and low mortalities, respectively. In 1991-1995 life expectancy at birth in Oulu exceeded the national average by 0.7 years in males and 0.

Cold and mortality from ischaemic heart disease in northern Finland.

Mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in northern Finland was examined on a regional basis, correlating that observed in the general male population with environmental temperature and individual risk factors (smoking, serum lipids and blood pressure) as available from a health survey of 571 rural men. The age-adjusted mortality from IHD increased by 5% (95 C.I.