title: The rationale/design of the Guimarães/Vizela study: a multimodal population-based cohort study to determine global cardiovascular risk and disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease and dementia are growing medical and social problems in aging societies. Appropriate knowledge of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline risk factors (RFs) are critical for global CVR health preventive intervention. Many epidemiological studies use case definition based on data collected/measured in a single visit, a fact that can overestimate prevalence rates and distant from clinical practice demanding criteria. Portugal displays an elevated stroke mortality rate. However, population's global CV risk characterization is limited, namely, considering traditional/nontraditional RF and new intermediate phenotypes of CV and renal disease. Association of hemodynamic variables (pulse wave velocity and central blood pressure) with global CVR stratification, cognitive performance, and kidney disease are practically inexistent at a dwelling population level.
  
  
  METHODS
  After reviewing published data, we designed a population-based cohort study to analyze the prevalence of these cardiovascular RFs and intermediate phenotypes, using random sampling of adult dwellers living in 2 adjacent cities. Strict definition of phenotypes was planned: subjects were observed twice, and several hemodynamic and other biological variables measured at least 3 months apart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three thousand thirty-eight subjects were enrolled, and extensive data collection (including central and peripheral blood pressure, pulse wave velocity), sample processing, and biobank edification were carried out. One thousand forty-seven cognitive evaluations were performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seeking for CV risk reclassification, early identification of subjects at risk, and evidence of early vascular aging and cognitive and renal function decline, using the strict daily clinical practice criteria, will lead to better resource allocation in preventive measures at a population level.
authors.affiliation: From the *Center for the Research and Treatment of Arterial Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk, Internal Medicine Department, Guimarães-Centro Hospitalar do Alto Ave, and †Life and Health Science Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Science, University of Minho; ‡ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães; and §Departamento de Estudo de Populações, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro Guimarães
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors