Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze trends in avoidable mortality due to circulatory system diseases and ischemic heart diseases among individuals aged 30-69 years across the health macro-regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from 2000 to 2023. METHODS: An ecological time-series study was conducted using data from the Mortality Information System and Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System, with calculation of age- and sex-adjusted mortality coefficients. RESULTS: A reduction in mortality from circulatory system diseases and ischemic heart diseases was observed among women in almost all macroregions, except for the Central-West. Among men, decreasing trends in mortality from circulatory system diseases were identified, except in the Vales macro-region and in the state overall. Mortality was higher among men and increased with age, with the highest coefficients observed in the South, Central-West, and Metropolitan macro-regions. CONCLUSION: A downward trend in mortality was observed despite population aging, which may be attributed to health policies that strengthened the Unified Health System, including the expansion of the Family Health Strategy, the Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus Care Reorganization Plan, and the Popular Pharmacy Program, as well as measures for chronic disease control and health promotion.