Blood pressure and cardiovascular disease: tracing the steps from Framingham.
Around one-quarter of the world's adult population are defined as "hypertensive" however a much greater proportion are at risk of blood pressure-related disease because of the nature of the association between blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. The Framingham Study, together with other landmark observational studies, has been instrumental in elucidating this relationship. As early as the 1960s, Framingham showed that the association between blood pressure and cardiovascular risk was continuous and linear and was consistent across different age groups and for a range of major cardiovascular events. As the first major observational study to include substantial numbers of women, it was also able to debunk the myth that women "could tolerate blood pressure well". In more recent decades, Framingham has been central to the development of the notion of absolute risk and the importance of blood pressure alongside other risk factors. Much of our current understanding of the role blood pressure in cardiovascular disease can be attributed to decades of high quality research from Framingham.
Turnbull
Fiona
F
Cardiovascular Division, The George Institute for International Health, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. fturnbull@george.org.au
Kengne
Andre Pascal
AP
MacMahon
Stephen
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000266:history / Q000503:physiopathology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D011159:Population Surveillance; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology