From the Cardiovascular Data Analysis Center, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School (D.A.T., T.B.S., K.K.L.H., D.E.C., R.B., R.E.K., D.J.C.), and the Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health (D.J.C.), Boston, Mass; the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale School of Medicine (H.M.K.), New Haven, Conn; and Hawaii Medical Service Association (D.A.T.), Queens Medical Center (T.B.S.), Honolulu. (At 2000-09-19)