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The REGICOR study has marked a turning point in our knowledge of the magnitude of the problem of ischaemic cardiopathy and its risk factors in Cataluña and Spain. Among the benefits provided by the information obtained is that the results have been used to back up many of the proposals set out in the Ischaemic Cardiopathy Integral Plan (PICI) recently promoted by the Ministry of Health, in the Health Plan of Cataluña in its various versions since the mid -1990s, and the Strategy Plan for diseases of the Circulatory System in Cataluña 2004 – 2008. In addition, and most importantly, the information has been used to adapt the Framingham risk function to the needs and characteristics of our population. Suggested in these documents is the need to keep up-to-date records of the population in order to know how effective are the preventative and care measures proposed in the plan.THE REGICOR PROJECT History The REGICOR project was initiated in 1978, coinciding with the inauguration of the Coronary Unit (UC) at the Doctor Josep Trueta University Hospital of Girona. In its initial stage it was purely a hospital register, since it recorded all the acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) that arrived alive at the UC. In 1987, with the collaboration of the Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM) of Barcelona, the aims of the ischaemic cardiopathy study were extended to include the general population, using the methodology of the MONICA project of the WHO, of which REGICOR has been a member since 1990. In 2003 REGICOR celebrated the 25th anniversary of its foundation with a one-day scientific gathering (7th March, 2003) attended by no fewer than 400 national and international specialists in cardio- vascular epidemiology. Definition and aims of the REGICOR study REGICOR (REgistre GIrona del COR – Girona Heart Register) is a hospital and general public clinical epidemiology project created with the primary object of studying cardiovascular epidemiology and its risk factors. Its area of study covers six districts of the province of Girona (Gironés, Pla de l’Estany, Selva, Garrotxa, Baix Empordá and Alt Empordá) with a natural and stable population of more than 600,000 inhabitants. The fundamental aims of the project are: 1) To continue with the system of registering cases of myocardial infarctions based on population that has been maintained uninterrupted in Cataluña since 1988. 2) To establish a stable system of continuous or periodic monitoring of the Incidence of myocardial infarction in Cataluña that makes it possible to detect trend changes and react in time with appropriate public health measures. 3) Contribute to making available instruments to measure the impact of intervention proposals set out in the Plans for Health in Cataluña (incidence of myocardial infarction and variation in the prevalence and control of cardiovascular risk factors. 4) Construct a solid base in order to adjust risk functions adapted to the short and long term needs of the local population. 5) Analyse the impact of the changes in treatment in short and long term isquaemic cardiopathy survival. 6) Analyse the impact of the changes in diagnostic definitions on the short and long term care, extent, and evolution of ischaemic cardiopathy. 7) Analyse the effectiveness of new treatments, the importance of which has been demonstrated in clinical tests on populations of patients with very specific clinical characteristics.
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