The Icelandic Heart Association

The Icelandic Heart Association was founded in 1964. The IHA Research Institute began in 1967 a very broad epidemiological research project, the Reykjavik Study, where the focus was on identifying the main risk factors in cardiovascular diseases in Iceland. This research has been ongoing for over 40 years now and has involved more than 30,000 Icelanders. It has included a large number of new research projects, which have become the basis for expertise in Iceland on the main risk factors behind cardiovascular disease.

From the very beginning the Icelandic Heart Association has placed great emphasis on getting the results of its research across to the general public and people in the health sector.

In order to fulfill its educational role, the Icelandic Heart Association has published a series of information booklets on risk factors in coronary heart disease and published its Magazine for 38 years.

There is also the risk calculator which works out an individual’s risk of coronary heart disease over the next ten years.

The latest stage of the Reykjavik Study is the Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility study (AGES-Reykjavik Study).

The Icelandic Heart Association has many employees, bringing together a wide range of people with different educational backgrounds, who together conduct research as scientifically and accurately as possible. The Icelandic Heart Association employs doctors, biomedical scientists, biologists, radiographers, radiologists, nurses and others in a number of fields. The association’s employees work on a variety of projects, such as the AGES Reykjavik Study, risk assessment, laboratory research, medical imaging, administration, education, data processing, quality management, financial management and other collaborative projects in which the Icelandic Heart Association is involved.