Research on heart disease in the 196Os and 197Os was primarily concerned with risk factors for 'premature' atherosclerosis, which was most dramatically apparent in working middle-aged men who suffered heart attacks or died suddenly. This focus on 'premature' disease was an important initial step, but it resulted in a relative neglect of studies in older adults and in all women. Coronary heart disease remains nonetheless a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women.