This application is a working partnership between the Native-owned, non-profit corporation that manages the health care of the Native Alaskans of the Norton Sound and certain Strong Heart Study (SHS) investigators. The Norton Sound Health Corporation, a subcontractor to the Indian Health Service, provides medical care for the approximately 8,000 Native Alaskans living along the shores of the Bering Straits. The investigators bring many years of successful collaboration and individual experience in the epidemiology and genetics of minority health. There are many compelling reasons to study heart disease in the Native Alaskans. These Eskimos villages are remote and isolated. The traditional lifestyle is being eroded by mechanization and a westernized diet. There has been relatively little outside genetic influence and they are, like the American Indians of the lower 48 states, beginning to show a marked acceleration in the prevalence of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.
The specific aims of this proposal are to carefully document CVD and CVD risk factors among 1200 Native Alaskans who are members of approximately 40 families. We will use standardized methodologies that will allow comparison with other populations. This will be a family- based, cross-sectionally study. Recognized and emerging risk factors, and prevalent CVD will be documented in each individual through a standardized interview, physical exam, laboratory measurements, carotid ultrasound, ECG and a review of centralized medical records. We will assay contemporary samples and serum specimens stored at the Anchorage CDC (from many participants) antedating this study (10-20 years ago) for specific markers of inflammation and serologic responses. Through a ten-centimorgan map, we will attempt to find specific genes that related to CVD. This will be the first project to identify and map genes that contribute to risk of CVD in this unique and understudied population.
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