Cardiovascular diseases
Project goals
Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of premature death and years of healthy life lost in Germany.
As part of the interview questions, NAKO participants are asked about risk factors and existing cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attack or cardiac insufficiency. In addition, blood pressure and vascular stiffness are measured (so-called pulse wave analysis) and the ankle-brachial index, which can provide information about circulatory disorders in the legs, is determined. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is recorded for some of the NAKO participants and the structure and function of the heart is examined using ultrasound (3D echocardiography) and cardiac MRI. The bicycle stress test provides important information about the performance of the cardiovascular system. In addition, examinations such as certain blood tests, the determination of body composition or the measurement of daily physical activity using an accelerometer provide information on the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system. The SomnoWatch is used to record a 24-hour ECG as well as movement data and sleep parameters, which can provide information on important cardiovascular factors such as sleep disorders / sleep apnoea and ECG changes such as arrhythmias.
The data should contribute to a better understanding of the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. Thanks to the extensive NAKO and the repeated medical examinations of the participants, more research is to be conducted into the early stages of disease development and future methods are to be developed to recognise these diseases earlier or prevent them.
Basic examination
- Blood pressure measurement in 204,000 participants
- Determination of vascular stiffness and indicators for peripheral arterial occlusive disease in approx. 195,000 participants
- ECG recorded for approx. 50,000 participants
- Cardiac ultrasound in approx. 41,000 participants
- Combined long-term ECG and sleep measurement carried out on more than 17,500 participants
- Around 11,000 participants received a bicycle stress test in selected centres
Secondary examination
- Blood pressure measurement for approx. 138,000 participants
- Determination of vascular stiffness and indicators of peripheral arterial occlusive disease in around 110,400 participants
- ECG examinations for more than 134,000 participants
- Echocardiography for approx. 84,000 participants
- Long-term ECG and sleep measurement for almost 30,000 participants
First results
Initial results, which we have published based on the analysis of the data from the first half of the participants in the initial survey, show the first preliminary incidences of cardiovascular disease:
Of 101,806 NAKO participants surveyed, 3.5 per cent of men and 0.8 per cent of women reported a heart attack. 4.8 per cent and 1.5 per cent reported angina pectoris, 3.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent reported heart failure, 10.1 per cent and 10.4 per cent reported cardiac arrhythmia, 2.7 per cent and 1.8 per cent reported intermittent claudication and 34.6 per cent and 27.0 per cent reported arterial hypertension. Overall, the observed frequencies were slightly lower than comparative data for Germany.
Publications
Speakers
Dr. Karin Halina Greiser
Prof. Dr. Marcus Dörr (Deputy Spokesperson)