OBJECTIVETo analyze the characteristics of out-of-hospital acute coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths in Beijing permanent residents at the age of 25 or more from 2007 to 2009.

METHODSWe analyzed the gender, age, geographical distribution, occupation, marital status and the extent of different education characteristics of out-of-hospital acute CHD deaths of the Beijing permanent residents at the age of 25 or more from 2007 to 2009 using the mortality information database from the Beijing Vital Registration Monitoring System.

RESULTSOf the total 41 732 acute CHD deaths, 30 159 (72.27%) died out of hospital and out-of-hospital mortality was 2.61 times higher than in-hospital mortality. Majority out-of-hospital death occurred in males (72.30%, 16 068/22 224), in 25 - 34 years old people (91.75%, 89/97), in residents living in remoter suburbs and counties (82.43%, 13 513/16 393), in rural population (89.50%, 10 017/11 192), in non-marital single (80.76%, 592/733) and in people less than five-years of schooling (83.95%, 11 388/13 565). Most out-of-hospital acute CHD death occurred at home (78.80%, 23 765/30 159).

CONCLUSIONSOut-of hospital acute CHD mortality is high in Beijing permanent residents at the age of 25 and over from 2007 to 2009. Male, 25 - 34 years old, living in outer suburbs and counties, rural population, non-marital single, and less education years are major risk factors for out-of-hospital acute CHD death.