Research Milestones

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During the past 50 years, the Framingham Heart Study has produced many major discoveries that have helped scientists understand the development and progression of heart disease and its risk factors--and helped Americans protect the health of their hearts.

Highlights: Some of the Most Significant Milestones Include:
1960 Cigarette smoking found to increase the risk of heart disease
1961 Cholesterol level, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram abnormalities found to increase the risk of heart disease
1967 Physical activity found to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity to increase the risk of heart disease
1970 High blood pressure found to increase the risk of stroke
1976 Menopause found to increase the risk of heart disease
1978 Psychosocial factors found to affect heart disease
1988 High levels of HDL cholesterol found to reduce risk of death
1994 Enlarged left ventricle (one of two lower chambers of the heart) shown to increase the risk of stroke
1996 Progression from hypertension to heart failure described


Milestones
1948 Start of the Framingham Heart Study
1956 Findings on progression of rheumatic heart disease
1959 Factors found that increase the likelihood of heart disease
Some heart attacks discovered to be "silent" (causing no pain)
1960 Cigarette smoking found to increase the risk of heart disease
1961 Cholesterol level, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram abnormalities found to increase the risk of heart disease
1965 First Framingham Heart Study report on stroke
1967 Physical activity found to reduce the risk of heart disease and obesity to increase the risk of heart disease
1970 High blood pressure found to increase the risk of stroke
1971 Framingham Offspring Study begins
Progression of congestive heart failure described
1974 Overview of diabetes and its complications
1976 Menopause found to increase the risk of heart disease
1977 Effects of triglycerides and LDL and HDL cholesterol described
1978 Psychosocial factors found to affect heart disease
Atrial fibrillation (condition in which the heart beats irregularly) found to increase the risk of stroke
1981 Filter cigarettes found to give no protection against coronary heart disease
Major report issued on relationship of diet and heart disease
1983 Reports on mitral valve prolapse (which causes a backward leak of blood between heart chambers)
1986 First report on dementia
1987 High blood cholesterol levels found to correlate directly with risk of death in young men
Fibrinogen (allows blood to clot more easily) found to increase the risk of heart disease
Estrogen replacement therapy found to reduce risk of hip fractures in post-menopausal women
1988 High levels of HDL cholesterol found to reduce risk of death
Type "A" behavior associated with heart disease
Isolated systolic hypertension found to increase risk of heart disease
Cigarette smoking found to increase risk of stroke
1990 Homocysteine (an amino acid) found as possible risk factor for heart disease
1991 Heart disease risk prediction models produced
1993 Mild isolated systolic hypertension shown to increase risk of heart disease
Major report predicts survival after diagnosis of heart failure
1994 Enlarged left ventricle (one of two lower chambers of the heart) shown to increase the risk of stroke
Lipoprotein (a) found as possible risk factor for heart disease
Risk factors for atrial fibrillation described
Apolipoprotein E found as possible risk factor for heart disease
1995 First Framingham report on diastolic heart failure
Start of the OMNI Study of Minorities
1996 Progression from hypertension to heart failure described
1997 Report on the cumulative effects of smoking and high cholesterol on the risk for atherosclerosis
Investigation of the impact of an enlarged left ventricle and risk for heart failure in asymptomatic individuals

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