Not all existing sources of information (hospital discharge records, surveys, registers, cohort longitudinal studies and General Practitioners’ networks) are available in European countries.

 

Click on countries to access available sources of information.

 

 

 

Hospital discharge records

They cover almost the entire population, both genders and all ages, in nearly all countries. The ICD-9 code is used in Belgium, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Detailed data from the different countries are available (table 4 of the EUROCISS report).

 

Surveys on CVD

Finland, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain regularly carry out surveys on cardiovascular diseases using the LSHTM questionnaires for the evaluation of symptoms, medical examination and ECGS. In most cases the MONICA-OMS project methodology is adopted. For a detailed description, please refer to the summary tables (tables 5 of the EUROCISS report).

 

Longitudinal cohort studies

These studies have been carried out in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and UK. They are performed on relatively small samples of population. Detailed data are accessible in the summary tables (table 6 of the EUROCISS report).

 

GP networks

They provide data only in Portugal, The Netherlands and UK (see table 7).

 

Registers

 

Registers based on administrative data: they are on a national basis, cover all ages and both genders. They are typical of Northern countries and are based on the linkage between hospital discharge and mortality records; this is possible thanks to the identification number available in all medical records. They are economical but not always reliable.

 

Population-based registers: they are formed through the linkage between various sources of information (morbidity, hospital discharge and GP records) and the validation of suspected events. They cover large samples of population; the accuracy of the data related to incidence/occurrence depends on their completeness and quality. Data are validated using standardized procedures: the most widespread are those of the MONICA-OMS project.

 

Differences exist between registers. In particular, AMI and stroke registers from different countries use different procedures in the selection of events. More details about the registers of AMI and cerebrovascular accidents can be found in table 8 and table 9 of the EUROCISS report.