Brief Chronology

  • 1912 --Born Edward David Freis in Chicago, May 13
  • 1936 --Received BS from University of Arizona. Married Willa Hussey
  • 1940 --Received MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
  • 1940-42 --Medical internship at Boston Memorial Hospital
  • 1941-42 --Served as house physician, 5th Medical service of Boston University Boston City Hospital
  • 1942-44 --Military service (USAAF): Assistant Chief and Chief of Laboratory Service, Lincoln AFB, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • 1944-45 --Military service (USAAF): Chief, Laboratory Service, Rheumatic Fever Research Program, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho
  • 1946-47 --Assistant Resident in Medicine, Evans Memorial Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
  • 1946-49 --Instructor in Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
  • 1947-49 --Research Fellow, Evans Memorial Hospital; began clinical research into drug treatment of hypertension with Robert Wilkins as supervisor
  • 1949 --Appointed Assistant Chief, Medical Service, Veterans Administration Hospital, and adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
  • 1949 --Appointed Director of Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Georgetown University Medical Center (to 1965)
  • 1950 --Appointed Chief of Hypertension Clinic at Georgetown University Medical Center (to 1960)
  • 1954 --Appointed Chief, Medical Service, VA Hospital (to 1959)
  • 1957 --Began first studies using chlorothiazide diuretic to control hypertension
  • 1959 --Appointed Senior Medical Investigator at VA Hospital
  • 1960 --Published "The Hemodynamics of Hypertension" in Physiological Reviews
  • 1963 --Began designing VA Cooperative Study on Antihypertensive Agents
  • 1964-69 --Led VA Cooperative Study
  • 1970 --VA Cooperative Study results published
  • 1971 --Received Lasker Award in Clinical Research for work on the VA Cooperative Study
  • 1972 --National High Blood Pressure Education Program established by National Institutes of Health
  • 1977 --Received James D. Bruce Award in Preventive Medicine from American College of Physicians
  • 1979 --Published The High Blood Pressure Book: A Guide for Patients and Their Families
  • 1980 --Received Howard Blakeslee Award from American Heart Association for The High Blood Pressure Book
  • 1985 --National Conference of High Blood Pressure Councils established the Edward D. Freis Award
  • 1987 --Retirement from VA and Georgetown University Medical Center
  • 1990 --ASH/Abbott Special Achievement Award received from American Society of Hypertension
  • 1995 --Received Honorary Doctorate of Science from Georgetown University Medical Center
  • 2000 --Received the first Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension from the International Society for Hypertension
  • 2001 --Received Award of Meritorious Accomplishment from the American Heart Association
  • 2005 --Died February 1st, of multiple organ failure, in Washington, DC, aged 92