Biographical notes on Ancel Keys and Salim Yusuf: origins and significance of the seven countries study and the INTERHEART study

Abstract

Ancel Keys and Salim Yusuf are both pioneers in preventive cardiology. Each overcame significant obstacles to demonstrate, through large international studies, how culture and environment influence cardiovascular disease. This paper will explore the origins and outcomes of their landmark studies: the Seven Countries Study, a prospective cohort model, and the INTERHEART Study, a case-control model. Each study advanced our understanding of the interplay between lifestyle, culture, and heart disease.