Het wetenschappelijke bevolkingsonderzoek naar de vroege opsporing van hart- en vaatziekten.

Study design

Firstly, approximately 330.800 men (45 – 74 years) and women (55-74 years) are drawn from the general population and invited to take part in the trial. These people are living in the regions of Apeldoorn, Den Haag and Groningen. An information package, informed consent form, risk questionnaire and waist circumference tape are sent by post. We expect 25% (N=82.700) to respond to the questionnaire. Inclusion criteria for the study are persons without diagnosed CVD, but with a possible increased risk of CVD.

After inclusion, participants are randomized into three equally sized groups:

  1. control group
  2. intervention group A (systematic screening by means ofclassical risk factors)
  3. intervention group B (systematic screening by means of coronary artery calcification (CAC) score).

Participants in intervention group A with an intermediate or high risk of CVD are referred to their general practitioner (GP) for lifestyle advice and if necessary, medication, following the Dutch College of GP’s standard ‘Cardiovascular Risk Management’. Participants in intervention group B with a high or very high risk of CVD based on their CAC score are also referred to their GP and will be treated following the study protocol for the CAC-score.

All participants will be followed for 5 years. The primary outcome is the cumulative 5-year fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease.