Surveillance Description and Overall Findings

Surveillance Description

In the community surveillance component of ARIC, the same four communities of the cohort study were investigated to determine the long-term trends in hospitalized myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and heart failure deaths.

The target population of men and women aged 35-84 years (>55 years for heart failure) was approximately 446,000 at the end of surveillance in 2014.

Hospital records were reviewed and medical events of interest in these records were adjudicated by a team of ARIC physicians. Physicians and family members were also queried in some instances. Each event was assigned a standardized classification. Each ascertainment continues for cohort study members in these same communities.

Community hospitals and academic health centers have been long-standing partners in these efforts. We acknowledge the contributions of Novant Health (Forsyth County) among others.

Community Characteristics (View PDF)

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