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Review
. 2014 Mar 15;383(9921):999-1008.
doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61752-3. Epub 2013 Sep 29.

The Framingham Heart Study and the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease: a historical perspective

Syed S Mahmood  1 , Daniel Levy  2 , Ramachandran S Vasan  3 , Thomas J Wang  4
Affiliations
Review

The Framingham Heart Study and the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease: a historical perspective

Syed S Mahmood et al. Lancet. .

Abstract

On Sept 29, 2013, the Framingham Heart Study will celebrate 65 years since the examination of the first volunteer in 1948. During this period, the study has provided substantial insight into the epidemiology and risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The origins of the study are closely linked to the cardiovascular health of President Franklin D Roosevelt and his premature death from hypertensive heart disease and stroke in 1945. In this Review we describe the events leading to the foundation of the Framingham Heart Study, and provide a brief historical overview of selected contributions from the study.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: We declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Key dates in the history of Framingham Heart Study. HTN = hypertension, HF = Heart failure, FHS = Framingham Heart Study, CHD = coronary heart disease, NIH = National Institutes of Health, CVD = cardiovascular disease, SHARe = SNP Health Association Resource, GWAS = genome wide association study
Figure 2
Figure 2
Letter from US Public Health Service to Gilcin Meadors on positive response from Massachusetts physicians regarding Framingham as a site. Courtesy: NHLBI archives. Non-Federal employees names deleted per NHLBI policy.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Data entry form for the Original Cohort c1947. Courtesy: NHLBI archives
Figure 4
Figure 4
Systolic pressure as a superior marker for average annual incidence for coronary heart disease. Adapted with permission from Kannel at. al. 1971
Figure 5
Figure 5
Hypertension as the dominant risk factor for heart failure. HTN = hypertensive cardiovascular disease, CAD = coronary artery disease. Adapted from McKee at. al. 1971
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