Surveillance and monitoring of cardiovascular disease: assessment of trends.

This paper describes the current state of surveillance and monitoring of acute, chronic and asymptomatic cardiovascular disease with particular reference to the situation in Czechoslovakia. It goes on to discuss some of the difficulties involved in obtaining adequate data on which to base surveillance and of creating a coherent central information system. The importance of combining registration or notification with active intervention is emphasized, and the possible suggested of introducing simple techniques of cardiovascular investigation into health screening procedures or consultations established primarily for another purpose.