Framingham Heart Study

The Framingham Heart Study began in 1948. Directed by the National Heart Institute (now known as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute), it followed 5,209 adults (ages 30–62) from Framingham, Massachusetts, who had not yet developed overt symptoms of cardiovascular disease and who had not suffered a heart attack or stroke. Since the study began, participants have been tracked using

standardized biennial cardiovascular examination,
daily surveillance of hospital admissions,
death information and
information from physicians and other sources outside the clinic.

The study's goal is to learn the circumstances in which cardiovascular diseases arise, evolve and end fatally in the general population. This information will help researchers find out, over a long time, how those who develop cardiovascular diseases differ from those who don't.

In 1971 the study enrolled a second-generation group to participate in similar examinations. It consisted of 5,124 of the original participants' adult children and their spouses. At that time, Boston University began to collaborate in the study. The second study was named the Framingham Offspring Study.

In 2002, recruitment began for a third generation of participants – the children of the 1971 study group. The first phase of this Third Generation Study was completed in 2005, with 4,095 participants.

The study has played an important role in identifying many major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and has led to the publication of about 1,200 research articles in leading journals.

Related AHA publications: