Higher resolution cardiovascular epidemiology: unique insights from linking the national cardiac event register with primary care records and highly phenotyped cohorts. (360G-Wellcome-086091_Z_08_Z)

Background Our understanding of the aetiology of coronary disease in populations has been limited by low resolution in three key dimensions: phenotyping different coronary syndromes, the timing and evolution of risk, and the interplay between different risk factor domains. This uncertainty motivates each of our aims: Aim I Curation of novel research platform We will establish, validate and curate for the wider research community new, internationally unique, large-scale resources based on link ing the national myocardial infarction register to the rich longitudinal primary care record and highly phenotyped cohorts in the UCL genetics consortium. We will focus on stable angina, unstable angina, non-STEMI and STEMI (about 146,000 linked cases). Aim II Research To what extent are risk factors for specific chronic or acute coronary syndromes different from those of undifferentiated coronary disease aggregates? Across short and long-term risk periods, in aetiologic and prognostic set tings, we will address major aetiological domains including: social and psychosocial factors, physical environment, inflammation, biological markers and genetics. Aim III Training and education We will develop, deliver and evaluate new training opportunities at short course, MSc and PhD level to spawn a new cadre of academics trained in exploiting multiple sources of EPR for health research.