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.”
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
Hobbs BD, de Jong K, Lamontagne M, Bossé Y, Shrine N, Artigas MS, Wain LV, Hall IP, Jackson VE, Wyss AB, London SJ, North KE, Franceschini N, Strachan DP, Beaty TH, Hokanson JE, Crapo JD, Castaldi PJ, Chase RP, Bartz TM, Heckbert SR, Psaty BM, Gharib SA, Zanen P, Lammers JW, Oudkerk M, Groen HJ, Locantore N, Tal-Singer R, Rennard SI, Vestbo J, Timens W, Paré PD, Latourelle JC, Dupuis J, O'Connor GT, Wilk JB, Kim WJ, Lee MK, Oh YM, Vonk JM, de Koning HJ, Leng S, Belinsky SA, Tesfaigzi Y, Manichaikul A, Wang XQ, Rich SS, Barr RG, Sparrow D, Litonjua AA, Bakke P, Gulsvik A, Lahousse L, Brusselle GG, Stricker BH, Uitterlinden AG, Ampleford EJ, Bleecker ER, Woodruff PG, Meyers DA, Qiao D, Lomas DA, Yim JJ, Kim DK, Hawrylkiewicz I, Sliwinski P, Hardin M, Fingerlin TE, Schwartz DA, Postma DS, MacNee W, Tobin MD, Silverman EK, Boezen HM, Cho MH, COPDGene Investigators, ECLIPSE Investigators, LifeLines Investigators, SPIROMICS Research Group, International COPD Genetics Network Investigators, UK BiLEVE Investigators, International COPD Genetics Consortium. Genetic loci associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap with loci for lung function and pulmonary fibrosis. Nat Genet. 2017 Feb 6. doi: 10.1038/ng.3752. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Feinstein MJ, Nance RM, Drozd DR, Ning H, Delaney JA, Heckbert SR, Budoff MJ, Mathews WC, Kitahata MM, Saag MS, Eron JJ, Moore RD, Achenbach CJ, Lloyd-Jones DM, Crane HM. Assessing and refining myocardial infarction risk estimation among patients with human immunodeficiency virus: a study by the centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems. JAMA Cardiol. 2017 Feb 1;2(2):155-162. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2016.4494. PubMed
Hughes-Austin JM, Rifkin DE, Beben T, Katz R, Sarnak MJ, Deo R, Hoofnagle AN, Homma S, Siscovick DS, Sotoodehnia N, Psaty BM, de Boer IH, Kestenbaum B, Shlipak MG, Ix JH. The relation of serum potassium concentration with cardiovascular events and mortality in community-living individuals. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017 Feb 7;12(2):245-252. doi: 10.2215/CJN.06290616. Epub 2017 Jan 31. PubMed
Jones GT, Tromp G, Kuivaniemi H, Gretarsdottir S, Baas AF, Giusti B, Strauss E, Van't Hof FN, Webb TR, Erdman R, Ritchie MD, Elmore JR, Verma A, Pendergrass S, Kullo IJ, Ye Z, Peissig PL, Gottesman O, Verma SS, Malinowski J, Rasmussen-Torvik LJ, Borthwick KM, Smelser DT, Crosslin DR, de Andrade M, Ryer EJ, McCarty CA, Böttinger EP, Pacheco JA, Crawford DC, Carrell DS, Gerhard GS, Franklin DP, Carey DJ, Phillips VL, Williams MJ, Wei W, Blair R, Hill AA, Vasudevan TM, Lewis DR, Thomson IA, Krysa J, Hill GB, Roake J, Merriman TR, Oszkinis G, Galora S, Saracini C, Abbate R, Pulli R, Pratesi C, Saratzis A, Verissimo AR, Bumpstead S, Badger SA, Clough RE, Cockerill G, Hafez H, Scott DJ, Futers TS, Romaine SP, Bridge K, Griffin KJ, Bailey MA, Smith A, Thompson MM, van Bockxmeer FM, Matthiasson SE, Thorleifsson G, Thorsteinsdottir U, Blankensteijn JD, Teijink JA, Wijmenga C, de Graaf J, Kiemeney LA, Lindholt JS, Hughes A, Bradley DT, Stirrups K, Golledge J, Norman PE, Powell JT, Humphries SE, Hamby SE, Goodall AH, Nelson CP, Sakalihasan N, Courtois A, Ferrell RE, Eriksson P, Folkersen L, Franco-Cereceda A, Eicher JD, Johnson AD, Betsholtz C, Ruusalepp A, Franzén O, Schadt EE, Björkegren JL, Lipovich L, Drolet AM, Verhoeven EL, Zeebregts CJ, Geelkerken RH, van Sambeek MR, van Sterkenburg SM, de Vries JP, Stefansson K, Thompson JR, de Bakker PI, Deloukas P, Sayers RD, Harrison SC, van Rij AM, Samani NJ, Bown MJ. Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for abdominal aortic aneurysm identifies four new disease-specific risk loci. Circ Res. 2017 Jan 20;120(2):341-353. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.308765. Epub 2016 Nov 29. PubMed
Zaheer S, de Boer IH, Allison M, Brown JM, Psaty BM, Robinson-Cohen C, Michos ED, Ix JH, Kestenbaum B, Siscovick D, Vaidya A. Fibroblast growth factor-23, mineral metabolism, and adiposity in normal kidney function. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Apr 1;102(4):1387-1395. doi: 10.1210/jc.2016-3563. PubMed
Researchers in Cardiovascular Health
 Sascha Dublin, MD, PhDSenior Investigator |
 Beverly B. Green, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
 Laura Harrington, PhD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
 Ellen O'Meara, PhDPrincipal Collaborative Scientist |
 Nicole M. Gatto, PhD, MPHPrincipal Collaborative Scientist |
 Meagan C. Brown, PhD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
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
Research
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Research
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Home blood pressure monitoring shown to be an excellent alternative for making new diagnoses of hypertension.
New findings
There’s no place like home … to track blood pressure
Research led by KPWHRI’s Beverly Green, MD, MPH, finds that patients prefer at-home monitoring of blood pressure.
Research
CVD risk calculation: Can smaller clinics break through?
KPWHRI researchers uncover obstacles faced by smaller practices when adding CVD risk calculators into primary care.
KPWHRI in the media
Understanding high blood pressure
Hypertension headache: Medical myth or true health concern?
AARP, June 3, 2024
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