[Demographic and mortality trends in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1979 to 1997].

An analysis of the 1979-1997 historical series points to demographic and mortality trends in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, over the course of those two decades. There was a drop in the rate of population increase, with a significant change in the age structure. In the time series, there was a decline in mortality from cardiovascular diseases and an overall downward trend in mortality from infectious and parasitic diseases, albeit with a sharp increase beginning in 1996 resulting in a change in disease classification (ICD-9 to ICD-10). As for infant mortality, there was a predominance of deaths in the neonatal group. An analysis of major groups of diseases and injuries highlights the importance of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases, homicides, traffic accidents, and AIDS.