The MONICA survey in Gothenburg

The MONICA study is a WHO supported international multicenter study of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (Multinational MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease), involving 38 populations in 21 different countries on four continents. The study started in the beginning of the 1980s. The background was that younger persons have low risk factor levels (overweight, high blood pressure, high serum cholesterol), but the levels are increasing in higher ages. Several mechanisms are probably reasons for this. In Gothenburg a total of 4500 men and women were examined within the MONICA project in the ages 25-65. The surveys took place in 1985, 1990 and 1995. Purpose: To measure the trends in cardiovascular mortality and coronary heart disease and stroke morbidity and to assess the extent to which these trends are related to changes in known risk factors, daily living habits, health care, or major socioeconomic features measured at the same time in defined communities in different countries.MONICA研究（全称为Multinational MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease，即多国心血管疾病趋势与决定因素监测研究）是一项由世界卫生组织（World Health Organization，WHO）支持的国际多中心心血管疾病危险因素研究，覆盖四大洲21个国家的38个人群。该研究启动于20世纪80年代初，其启动背景为：年轻人群的心血管危险因素水平（超重、高血压、血清高胆固醇）本处于较低区间，但该水平在高龄群体中逐渐升高，背后或涉及多种致病机制。在哥德堡地区，该项目于1985年、1990年及1995年对25至65岁的共计4500名男女受试者开展了健康调研。 研究目的： 量化心血管疾病死亡率、冠心病及脑卒中发病率的变化趋势，并评估上述趋势与同期在不同国家特定社区中测得的已知危险因素、日常生活习惯、医疗保健服务水平或主要社会经济特征变化之间的关联程度。