Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the Czech Republic. Since 1984 there is a decline of the total and cardiovascular mortality in the CR which is due to a decline of the mortality from IHD and cerebrovascular disease. Within the framework of the MONICA project in 1985, 1988 and 1992 in six districts of the CR screening examinations of cardiovascular disease risk factors were made. For examination always 1% of the population aged 25-64 years (random sampling) was invited. In 1997 and 1998 a similar cross-sectional surmy was made in nine districts of the CR. A total of 3,209 subjects were examined. In 1985-1997/98 in the representative population samples of six districts of the CR there was a significant decline of total cholesterol (men from 6.21 +/- 1.29 to 5.65 +/- 1.15 mmol/l, p < 0.001, women from 6.18 +/- 1.26 to 5.53 +/- 1.21 mmol/l, p < 0.001 and the total cholesterol/HDL ratio (men from 4.94 +/- 1.83 mmol/l to 4.66 +/- 1.46, p < 0.001, women from 4.14 +/- 1.32 to 3.89 +/- 1.30 mmol/l p < 0.001).

Keywords: Adult; Cardiovascular Diseases /blood/; Cholesterol /blood/; Cholesterol, HDL /blood/; Czech Republic /epidemiology/; Female; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Risk Factors