Framingham: The Foundation of Modern Heart Research

Sixty years ago, a group of investigators began an ambitious research project in Framingham, Massachusetts. At the time, we didn't know smoking increased the risk of heart disease. We didn't understand that high cholesterol and hypertension were risk factors for cardiovascular conditions, and we hadn't identified the respective risks and benefits of obesity and exercise relative to heart disease. These pillars of cardiology are known today, in large part, because of the enduring work of the Framingham Heart Study. Host Dr. Janet Wright examines the evolution of Framingham with Dr. William Kannel. One of the original Framingham investigators, from 1950 to the present, Dr. Kannel served as the study's second director from 1966 to 1979. He is also professor emeritus of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine.