Follow-up of the original Evans County Study cohort was achieved by contacting each member annually by mail, telephone, or personal visit, weekly surveys of all admissions at the Evans Memorial Hospital and Statesboro Hospital; survey of daily obituaries in the local newspapers. In the event of a death, autopsy reports and hospital records were obtained. Twice a year teams of consulting neurologists and cardiologists visited Evans County to examine all suspected surviving cases of stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, and angina pectoris. Home visits were conducted for patients who did not visit the medical facility.