Cardiovascular Health

“One in four deaths in the United States is attributed to heart disease. Our researchers study how behavior, environment, and genetics affect heart health and how screening and treatment can reduce risk.”

Laura B. Harrington, PhD, MPH
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute Assistant Investigator

Research overview

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans. Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) scientists are working to understand how to reduce our risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases throughout life. 

Addressing risk factors, improving diagnosis, and exploring how medications, genes, and everyday life affect our cardiovascular health at different ages and stages are central to this work — as is translating research findings into practical, personalized care.

“We’ve found that helping patients and health care teams work together on personalized care plans is the best path to lifelong heart health,” says Beverly Green, MD, MPH, whose recent work has focused on improving the diagnosis of high blood pressure.

Additional focus areas for KPWHRI scientists include exploring the impact of cardiovascular diseases on other health conditions — and vice versa. Recently, this has led researchers Sascha Dublin, MD, PhD, and Laura B. Harrington, PhD, MPH, to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health.

Below are other research highlights from KPWHRI’s cardiovascular health scientists (please visit their bios to learn more):

  • In 2016 Dr. Green, a senior investigator, launched the BP-CHECK study, which aims to find the easiest, most accurate way to diagnose high blood pressure. With a $2.8 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the study compares blood pressure readings taken in clinic, at home, and at validated blood pressure kiosks to the 24-hour blood pressure test that is currently considered the gold standard for diagnosing hypertension.
     
  • Dr. Dublin, a senior investigator, explores many different facets of cardiovascular disease in her work, including risk factors for atrial fibrillation, the effect of medications on cardiovascular disease, and the relationship between cardiovascular disease and other conditions, such as dementia. Managing cardiovascular risk factors in pregnancy — such as high blood pressure and diabetes — is a particular interest.
     
  • Dr. Harrington, an assistant investigator, is a cardiovascular epidemiologist whose research aims to improve understanding of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, particularly among older women. Currently, she is leading a study exploring the relationship between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and the risk of venous thromboembolism (blood clots that form predominantly in the veins of the legs or lungs). In addition to this work, Dr. Harrington conducts research in the areas of recurrent cardiovascular event risk, cardiovascular health in relation to cognitive decline and dementia risk in later life, and pharmacologic exposures in relation to cardiovascular event risk, with a particular focus on risk factors for venous thromboembolism.
     
  • Senior Investigator Michael L. Parchman, MD, MPH, focuses on implementing evidence-based cardiovascular disease care into primary care settings. He led the 4-year Healthy Hearts Northwest trial, an EvidenceNOW initiative that helped smaller primary care practices in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho adopt evidence-based approaches to improving cardiovascular care outcomes. The trial continues to produce findings of importance.
     
  • The work of Ellen O'Meara, PhD, a senior research associate, centers on the epidemiology of common and important health conditions in the United States, including cardiovascular disease. Her collaborative research has included studies exploring the risk factors and outcomes of heart disease and stroke. Recent work includes research on quality improvement aimed at controlling hypertension at small primary care practices.

Recent publications on Cardiovascular Health

Habibi M, Zareian M, Ambale Venkatesh B, Samiei S, Imai M, Wu C, Launer LJ, Shea S, Gottesman RF, Heckbert SR, Bluemke DA, Lima JAC. Left atrial mechanical function and incident ischemic cerebrovascular events independent of AF: insights from the MESA study. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2019 Apr 17. pii: S1936-878X(19)30273-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2019.02.021. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Marklund M, Wu JHY, Imamura F, Del Gobbo LC, Fretts A, de Goede J, Shi P, Tintle N, Wennberg M, Aslibekyan S, Chen TA, de Oliveira Otto MC, Hirakawa Y, Eriksen HH, Kröger J, Laguzzi F, Lankinen M, Murphy RA, Prem K, Samieri C, Virtanen J, Wood AC, Wong K, Yang WS, Zhou X, Baylin A, Boer JMA, Brouwer IA, Campos H, Chaves PHM, Chien KL, de Faire U, Djoussé L, Eiriksdottir G, El-Abbadi N, Forouhi NG, Gaziano JM, Geleijnse JM, Gigante B, Giles G, Guallar E, Gudnason V, Harris T, Harris WS, Helmer C, Hellénius ML, Hodge A, Hu FB, Jacques PF, Jansson JH, Kalsbeek A, Khaw KT, Koh WP, Laakso M, Leander K, Lin HJ, Lind L, Luben R, Luo J, McKnight B, Mursu J, Ninomiya T, Overvad K, Psaty BM, Rimm E, Schulze MB, Siscovick D, Skjelbo Nielsen M, Smith AV, Steffen BT, Steffen L, Sun Q, Sundström J, Tsai MY, Tunstall-Pedoe H, Uusitupa MIJ, van Dam RM, Veenstra J, Verschuren WMM, Wareham N, Willett W, Woodward M, Yuan JM, Micha R, Lemaitre RN, Mozaffarian D, Risérus U; Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) Fatty Acids and Outcomes Research Consortium (FORCE). Biomarkers of dietary omega-6 fatty acids and incident cardiovascular disease and mortality: an individual-level pooled analysis of 30 cohort studies. Circulation. 2019 May 21;139(21):2422-2436. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038908. PubMed

Domingo-Relloso A, Grau-Perez M, Briongos-Figuero L, Gomez-Ariza JL, Garcia-Barrera T, Dueñas-Laita A, Bobb JF, Chaves FJ, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Navas-Acien A, Redon-Mas J, Martin-Escudero JC, Tellez-Plaza M. The association of urine metals and metal mixtures with cardiovascular incidence in an adult population from Spain: the Hortega Follow-Up Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2019 Dec 1;48(6):1839-1849. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyz06. PubMed

Whitman IR, Vittinghoff E, DeFilippi CR, Gottdiener JS, Alonso A, Psaty BM, Heckbert SR, Hoogeveen RC, Arking DE, Selvin E, Chen LY, Dewland TA, Marcus GM. NT-pro BNP as a mediator of the racial difference in incident atrial fibrillation and heart failure. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019 Apr 2;8(7):e010868. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.118.010868. PubMed

Bentley AR, Sung YJ, Brown MR, Winkler TW, Kraja AT, Ntalla I, Schwander K, Chasman DI, Lim E, Deng X, Guo X, Liu J, Lu Y, Cheng CY, Sim X, Vojinovic D, Huffman JE, Musani SK, Li C, Feitosa MF, Richard MA, Noordam R, Baker J, Chen G, Aschard H, Bartz TM, Ding J, Dorajoo R, Manning AK, Rankinen T, Smith AV, Tajuddin SM, Zhao W, Graff M, Alver M, Boissel M, Chai JF, Chen X, Divers J, Evangelou E, Gao C, Goel A, Hagemeijer Y, Harris SE, Hartwig FP, He M, Horimoto ARVR, Hsu FC, Hung YJ, Jackson AU, Kasturiratne A, Komulainen P, Kühnel B, Leander K, Lin KH, Luan J, Lyytikäinen LP, Matoba N, Nolte IM, Pietzner M, Prins B, Riaz M, Robino A, Said MA, Schupf N, Scott RA, Sofer T, Stancáková A, Takeuchi F, Tayo BO, van der Most PJ, Varga TV, Wang TD, Wang Y, Ware EB, Wen W, Xiang YB, Yanek LR, Zhang W, Zhao JH, Adeyemo A, Afaq S, Amin N, Amini M, Arking DE, Arzumanyan Z, Aung T, Ballantyne C, Barr RG, Bielak LF, Boerwinkle E, Bottinger EP, Broeckel U, Brown M, Cade BE, Campbell A, Canouil M, Charumathi S, Chen YI, Christensen K; COGENT-Kidney Consortium, Concas MP, Connell JM, de Las Fuentes L, de Silva HJ, de Vries PS, Doumatey A, Duan Q, Eaton CB, Eppinga RN, Faul JD, Floyd JS, Forouhi NG, Forrester T, Friedlander Y, Gandin I, Gao H, Ghanbari M, Gharib SA, Gigante B, Giulianini F, Grabe HJ, Gu CC, Harris TB, Heikkinen S, Heng CK, Hirata M, Hixson JE, Ikram MA; EPIC-InterAct Consortium, Jia Y, Joehanes R, Johnson C, Jonas JB, Justice AE, Katsuya T, Khor CC, Kilpeläinen TO, Koh WP, Kolcic I, Kooperberg C, Krieger JE, Kritchevsky SB, Kubo M, Kuusisto J, Lakka TA, Langefeld CD, Langenberg C, Launer LJ, Lehne B, Lewis CE, Li Y, Liang J, Lin S, Liu CT, Liu J, Liu K, Loh M, Lohman KK, Louie T, Luzzi A, Mägi R, Mahajan A, Manichaikul AW, McKenzie CA, Meitinger T, Metspalu A, Milaneschi Y, Milani L, Mohlke KL, Momozawa Y, Morris AP, Murray AD, Nalls MA, Nauck M, Nelson CP, North KE, O'Connell JR, Palmer ND, Papanicolau GJ, Pedersen NL, Peters A, Peyser PA, Polasek O, Poulter N, Raitakari OT, Reiner AP, Renström F, Rice TK, Rich SS, Robinson JG, Rose LM, Rosendaal FR, Rudan I, Schmidt CO, Schreiner PJ, Scott WR, Sever P, Shi Y, Sidney S, Sims M, Smith JA, Snieder H, Starr JM, Strauch K, Stringham HM, Tan NYQ, Tang H, Taylor KD, Teo YY, Tham YC, Tiemeier H, Turner ST, Uitterlinden AG; Understanding Society Scientific Group, van Heemst D, Waldenberger M, Wang H, Wang L, Wang L, Wei WB, Williams CA, Wilson G Sr, Wojczynski MK, Yao J, Young K, Yu C, Yuan JM, Zhou J, Zonderman AB, Becker DM, Boehnke M, Bowden DW, Chambers JC, Cooper RS, de Faire U, Deary IJ, Elliott P, Esko T, Farrall M, Franks PW, Freedman BI, Froguel P, Gasparini P, Gieger C, Horta BL, Juang JJ, Kamatani Y, Kammerer CM, Kato N, Kooner JS, Laakso M, Laurie CC, Lee IT, Lehtimäki T; Lifelines Cohort, Magnusson PKE, Oldehinkel AJ, Penninx BWJH, Pereira AC, Rauramaa R, Redline S, Samani NJ, Scott J, Shu XO, van der Harst P, Wagenknecht LE, Wang JS, Wang YX, Wareham NJ, Watkins H, Weir DR, Wickremasinghe AR, Wu T, Zeggini E, Zheng W, Bouchard C, Evans MK, Gudnason V, Kardia SLR, Liu Y, Psaty BM, Ridker PM, van Dam RM, Mook-Kanamori DO, Fornage M, Province MA, Kelly TN, Fox ER, Hayward C, van Duijn CM, Tai ES, Wong TY, Loos RJF, Franceschini N, Rotter JI, Zhu X, Bierut LJ, Gauderman WJ, Rice K, Munroe PB, Morrison AC, Rao DC, Rotimi CN, Cupples LA. Multi-ancestry genome-wide gene-smoking interaction study of 387,272 individuals identifies new loci associated with serum lipids.  Nat Genet. 2019;51(4):636-648. doi: 10.1038/s41588-019-0378-y. Epub 2019 Mar 29.  PubMed

Researchers in Cardiovascular Health

Sascha Dublin, MD, PhD

Senior Investigator
206-287-2870
Sascha.Dublin@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2997
Bev.B.Green@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Laura Harrington, PhD, MPH

Assistant Investigator
206-287-2066
Laura.B.Harrington@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Ellen O'Meara, PhD

Principal Collaborative Scientist
206-287-2938
Ellen.S.O'Meara@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Nicole M. Gatto, PhD, MPH

Principal Collaborative Scientist
Nicole.M.Gatto@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Meagan C. Brown, PhD, MPH

Assistant Investigator
Meagan.C.Brown@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

 

Affiliate researchers

James Floyd, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology
University of Washington

Susan Heckbert, MD, PhD
University of Washington (UW) Department of Epidemiology; UW Cardiovascular Health Research Unit

Nicholas L. Smith, PhD, MPH
UW Professor, Epidemiology, Cardiovascular Health Research Unit
Director, Seattle Epidemiology and Information Resource Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System