We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Conditions

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Framingham Heart Study?

By B. Schreiber
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 8,600
Share

The Framingham heart study is a long-term cardiovascular study that began in 1948. The goal of the study has been to follow a specific population over time to determine how certain risk factors contribute to heart disease. The original study population included more than 5,000 subjects from Framingham, Massachusetts, who were followed for 30 years. The Framingham heart study is credited with identifying risk factors that cause heart disease. The study found that uncontrollable factors include age and genetics, while controllable factors include obesity, cholesterol levels, and whether participants smoked, among others.

The participants of the Framingham heart study were randomly selected from the town and ranged in age from 30 to 62 years old. Along with initial interviews concerning family and medical histories, their health was assessed every year. This assessment included a physical examination as well as numerous laboratory tests as the subjects were screened for a number of heart-related health conditions. The study is generally acknowledged as the source of the term risk factor, and found that family history and lifestyle choices were important indicators of the odds of developing heart disease.

The findings of the Framingham study helped to establish firm evidence for many of the causes of heart disease. Depending on whether the subjects of the study could influence these factors, they were called controllable or uncontrollable. Uncontrollable factors were found to be high blood pressure, family history, along with age and gender. The many more controllable factors include obesity, activity level and exercise, and cholesterol levels.

Drawing on years of evidence, the Framingham risk score has been developed to assess the chance of heart disease in a clinical setting. The score is used to predict the odds of a heart-related incident in a 10-year period. This includes cardiovascular events such as heart attack, angina pectoris due to insufficient blood flow, and death. Also called the Farmingham point score, this information can be used to plan treatment and therapeutic options.

Before the Framingham heart study, much of the information about heart disease was collected through death records. The research was important in pioneering the study of living subjects over time, as well in selecting and tracking participants. While the relative similarity of Framingham residents was one reason the town was chosen at first, the original study was criticized for following a mostly white population. Expansions of the Framingham heart study have increased the representation of other ethnicities, even while including descendants of the original research subjects.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-is-the-framingham-heart-study.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.