Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS)
Objectives:
The Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) is a study of
risk factors for development and progression of CHD and stroke in people aged
65 years and older. The objectives of the Cardiovascular Health Study are to:
1) quantify associations of conventional and hypothesized risk factors with CHD
and stroke; 2) assess the associations of non-invasive measures of subclinical
disease with the incidence of CHD and stroke; 3) quantify the associations of
risk factors with subclinical disease; 4) characterize the natural history of
CHD and stroke, and identify factors associated with clinical course; and 5)
describe the prevalence and distributions of risk factors, non-invasive
measures of subclinical disease, and clinical CHD and stroke.
Background:
The study originated in 1988 from the recommendations
of an NHLBI workshop on the management of CHD in the elderly. This is the most
extensive study undertaken by the NHLBI to study CVD exclusively in an elderly
population. Initially funded for six years, it was renewed for a second six
year period in 1994 and recently was renewed for continued morbidity and
mortality follow-up.
Subjects:
The 5,888 study participants were recruited from four
U.S. communities and have undergone extensive clinic examinations for
evaluation of markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease. The original
cohort totaled 5,201 participants. A new cohort was recruited in 1992. The 687
participants in the new cohort are predominately African-American and were
recruited at three of the four field centers.
Design:
The 2,962 women and 2,239 men were examined yearly
from 1989 through 1999. The added minority cohort of 256 men and 431 women was
examined from 1992 to 1999. Examination components have included medical
history questionnaires, measurement of ankle-brachial index, abdominal and
carotid ultrasound studies, echocardiograms, ambulatory electrocardiograms,
cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, spirometry and retinal photographs over
the past decade. The most extensive evaluations were at study entry (baseline)
and again in 1992-1993 to assess change in subclinical disease measures. CHS
has undertaken extensive follow-up for ascertainment of cardiovascular events
including incident claudication, myocardial infarction, congestive heart
failure, stroke and death.
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Study Website |
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Study Documentation |
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Data Distribution Agreement |
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