title: The Cardiology Audit and Registration Data Standards (CARDS), European data standards for clinical cardiology practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Systematic registration of data from clinical practice is important for clinical care, local, national and international registries, and audit. Data to be collected for these different purposes should be harmonized. Therefore, during Ireland's Presidency of the European Union (EU) (January to June 2004), the Department of Health and Children worked with the European Society of Cardiology, the Irish Cardiac Society, and the European Commission to develop data standards for clinical cardiology. The Cardiology Audit and Registration Data Standards (CARDS) Project aimed to agree standards for three modules of cardiovascular health information systems: acute coronary syndromes (ACS), percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and clinical electrophysiology (pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and ablation procedures).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data items from existing registries and surveys were reviewed to derive draft data standards (variables, coding, and definitions). Variables common to the three modules include demographics, risk factors, medication, and discharge and follow-up data. Modules about a procedure contain variables on the lesion, the device, and medication during the procedure. The ACS module includes presenting symptoms, reperfusion and acute treatments, and procedures in hospital and at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data standards were discussed and adopted at a conference involving EU member states in Cork, Ireland, in May 2004. After a pilot study, the standards will be disseminated to stakeholders throughout Europe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: M Rachel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: Conor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Francisco G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Cosío
authors.forename: Anselm K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gitt
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallentin
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kearney
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lonergan
authors.forename: Emer
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shelley
authors.forename: Maarten L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Simoons
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards*; D005060:Europe; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D012015:Reference Standards; D012042:Registries / Q000592:standards*