Charleston Heart Study - Predictors of Coronary Disease in Blacks

BACKGROUND:

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death among United States Blacks, where coronary heart disease mortality rates are among the highest in the world. There has been a marked decline in coronary heart disease mortality among Blacks in the United States including South Carolina since 1968 for reasons not well explained, although hypertension control probably has contributed to the decline. In spite of this decline, evidence emerged that fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease rates in Blacks exceeds those of whites. Charleston Heart Study data showed that coronary heart disease cumulative survival probabilities for Black men were lower than white men during the first 20 years of the 25 year observation period. A secular trend manifested itself with relatively higher rates in Blacks but in any event, there was evidence that coronary disease was a major threat to Blacks.

The Charleston Heart Study was initiated in 1960. Randomly selected Black and white men and women 35 years of age and over were examined to obtain details concerning angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension, smoking, blood pressure, height, weight, and serum cholesterol levels. The total cohort was 2,283 persons. The last screening of the cohort was in 1974-1975 until the this study which started in 1984.

Over one half the Blacks in the United States live in the South and the Charleston Heart Study offered the opportunity to study disease and disability status of elderly Blacks, in an environment that included urban and rural residents.

DESIGN NARRATIVE: