Data components

The Project developed data collection methodology for:

• standardized coronary and stroke event registration, including collection of data on diagnostic information.
• data on medical care of patients before, during and after the attack. The methods were developed taking into account the local characteristics of the health care system in each Centre.
• risk factor measurements through sample surveys of the study population. This includes
  • identification of suitable sampling frames.
  • sample selection.
  • methods for obtaining optimal response rates.
  • standardized valid measurement of the main cardiovascular risk factors, with focus on
    • smoking habits
    • blood pressure and its treatment
    • serum or plasma total and HDL cholesterol
    • height, weight, marital status and education
    • Also, methods were developed to collect data on a number of aspects of more recent interest, like awareness and treatment of high cholesterol, use of aspirin and contraceptive pills, and on menopause.
• routinely available data on population size and mortality in the study populations.
• medical services data through
  1. a special inventory of services, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the management of coronary heart disease available to the populations of Centres, 1980-1994.
  2. routinely available data on hospital admissions for management of coronary heart disease (including coronary artery procedures).

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