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
Taylor KC, Evans DS, Edwards DRV, Edwards TL, Sofer T, Li G, Liu Y, Franceschini N, Jackson RD, Giri A, Donneyong M, Psaty B, Rotter JI, LaCroix AZ, Jordan JM, Robbins JA, Lewis B, Stefanick ML, Liu Y, Garcia M, Harris T, Cauley JA, North KE. A genome-wide association study meta-analysis of clinical fracture in 10,012 African American women. Bone Rep. 2016 Aug 27;5:233-242. doi: 10.1016/j.bonr.2016.08.005. eCollection 2016 Dec. PubMed
Hsu YH, Li G, Liu CT, Brody JA, Karasik D, Chou WC, Demissie S, Nandakumar K, Zhou Y, Cheng CH, Gill R, Gibbs RA, Muzny D, Santibanez J, Estrada K, Rivadeneira F, Harris T, Gudnason V, Uitterlinden A, Psaty BM, Robbins JA, Adrienne Cupples L, Kiel DP. Targeted sequencing of genome wide significant loci associated with bone mineral density (bmd) reveals significant novel and rare variants: the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) targeted sequencing study. Hum Mol Genet. 2016 Dec 1;25(23):5234-5243. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddw289. PubMed
Schumann G, Liu C, O'Reilly P, Gao H, Song P, Xu B, Ruggeri B, Amin N, Jia T, Preis S, Segura Lepe M, Akira S, Barbieri C, Baumeister S, Cauchi S, Clarke TK, Enroth S, Fischer K, Hällfors J, Harris SE, Hieber S, Hofer E, Hottenga JJ, Johansson Å, Joshi PK, Kaartinen N, Laitinen J, Lemaitre R, Loukola A, Luan J, Lyytikäinen LP, Mangino M, Manichaikul A, Mbarek H, Milaneschi Y, Moayyeri A, Mukamal K, Nelson C, Nettleton J, Partinen E, Rawal R, Robino A, Rose L, Sala C, Satoh T, Schmidt R, Schraut K, Scott R, Smith AV, Starr JM, Teumer A, Trompet S, Uitterlinden AG, Venturini C, Vergnaud AC, Verweij N, Vitart V, Vuckovic D, Wedenoja J, Yengo L, Yu B, Zhang W, Zhao JH, Boomsma DI, Chambers J, Chasman DI, Daniela T, de Geus E, Deary I, Eriksson JG, Esko T, Eulenburg V, Franco OH, Froguel P, Gieger C, Grabe HJ, Gudnason V, Gyllensten U, Harris TB, Hartikainen AL, Heath AC, Hocking L, Hofman A, Huth C, Jarvelin MR, Jukema JW, Kaprio J, Kooner JS, Kutalik Z, Lahti J, Langenberg C, Lehtimäki T, Liu Y, Madden PA, Martin N, Morrison A, Penninx B, Pirastu N, Psaty B, Raitakari O, Ridker P, Rose R, Rotter JI, Samani NJ, Schmidt H, Spector TD, Stott D, Strachan D, Tzoulaki I, van der Harst P, van Duijn CM, Marques-Vidal P, Vollenweider P, Wareham NJ, Whitfield JB, Wilson J, Wolffenbuttel B, Bakalkin G, Evangelou E, Liu Y, Rice KM, Desrivières S, Kliewer SA, Mangelsdorf DJ, Müller CP, Levy D, Elliott P. KLB is associated with alcohol drinking, and its gene product ß-Klotho is necessary for FGF21 regulation of alcohol preference. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Dec 13;113(50):14372-14377. Epub 2016 Nov 28. PubMed
Ried JS, Jeff M J, Chu AY, Bragg-Gresham JL, van Dongen J, Huffman JE, Ahluwalia TS, Cadby G, Eklund N, Eriksson J, Esko T, Feitosa MF, Goel A, Gorski M, Hayward C, Heard-Costa NL, Jackson AU, Jokinen E, Kanoni S, Kristiansson K, Kutalik Z, Lahti J, Luan J, Mägi R, Mahajan A, Mangino M, Medina-Gomez C, Monda KL, Nolte IM, Pérusse L, Prokopenko I, Qi L, Rose LM, Salvi E, Smith MT, Snieder H, Stancáková A, Ju Sung Y, Tachmazidou I, Teumer A, Thorleifsson G, van der Harst P, Walker RW, Wang SR, Wild SH, Willems SM, Wong A, Zhang W, Albrecht E, Couto Alves A, Bakker SJ, Barlassina C, Bartz TM, Beilby J, Bellis C, Bergman RN, Bergmann S, Blangero J, Blüher M, Boerwinkle E, Bonnycastle LL, Bornstein SR, Bruinenberg M, Campbell H, Chen YI, Chiang CW, Chines PS, Collins FS, Cucca F, Cupples LA, D'Avila F, de Geus EJ, Dedoussis G, Dimitriou M, Döring A, Eriksson JG, Farmaki AE, Farrall M, Ferreira T, Fischer K, Forouhi NG, Friedrich N, Gjesing AP, Glorioso N, Graff M, Grallert H, Grarup N, Gräßler J, Grewal J, Hamsten A, Harder MN, Hartman CA, Hassinen M, Hastie N, Hattersley AT, Havulinna AS, Heliövaara M, Hillege H, Hofman A, Holmen O, Homuth G, Hottenga JJ, Hui J, Husemoen LL, Hysi PG, Isaacs A, Ittermann T, Jalilzadeh S, James AL, Jørgensen T, Jousilahti P, Jula A, Marie Justesen J, Justice AE, Kähönen M, Karaleftheri M, Tee Khaw K, Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi SM, Kinnunen L, Knekt PB, Koistinen HA, Kolcic I, Kooner IK, Koskinen S, Kovacs P, Kyriakou T, Laitinen T, Langenberg C, Lewin AM, Lichtner P, Lindgren CM, Lindström J, Linneberg A, Lorbeer R, Lorentzon M, Luben R, Lyssenko V, Männistö S, Manunta P, Leach IM, McArdle WL, Mcknight B, Mohlke KL, Mihailov E, Milani L, Mills R, Montasser ME, Morris AP, Müller G, Musk AW, Narisu N, Ong KK, Oostra BA, Osmond C, Palotie A, Pankow JS, Paternoster L, Penninx BW, Pichler I, Pilia MG, Polašek O, Pramstaller PP, Raitakari OT, Rankinen T, Rao DC, Rayner NW, Ribel-Madsen R, Rice TK, Richards M, Ridker PM, Rivadeneira F, Ryan KA, Sanna S, Sarzynski MA, Scholtens S, Scott RA, Sebert S, Southam L, Sparsø TH, Steinthorsdottir V, Stirrups K, Stolk RP, Strauch K, Stringham HM, Swertz MA, Swift AJ, Tönjes A, Tsafantakis E, van der Most PJ, Van Vliet-Ostaptchouk JV, Vandenput L, Vartiainen E, Venturini C, Verweij N, Viikari JS, Vitart V, Vohl MC, Vonk JM, Waeber G, Widén E, Willemsen G, Wilsgaard T, Winkler TW, Wright AF, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Hua Zhao J, Carola Zillikens M, Boomsma DI, Bouchard C, Chambers JC, Chasman DI, Cusi D, Gansevoort RT, Gieger C, Hansen T, Hicks AA, Hu F, Hveem K, Jarvelin MR, Kajantie E, Kooner JS, Kuh D, Kuusisto J, Laakso M, Lakka TA, Lehtimäki T, Metspalu A, Njølstad I, Ohlsson C, Oldehinkel AJ, Palmer LJ, Pedersen O, Perola M, Peters A, Psaty BM, Puolijoki H, Rauramaa R, Rudan I, Salomaa V, Schwarz PE, Shudiner AR, Smit JH, Sørensen TI, Spector TD, Stefansson K, Stumvoll M, Tremblay A, Tuomilehto J, Uitterlinden AG, Uusitupa M, Völker U, Vollenweider P, Wareham NJ, Watkins H, Wilson JF, Zeggini E, Abecasis GR, Boehnke M, Borecki IB, Deloukas P, van Duijn CM, Fox C, Groop LC, Heid IM, Hunter DJ, Kaplan RC, McCarthy MI, North KE, O'Connell JR, Schlessinger D, Thorsteinsdottir U, Strachan DP, Frayling T, Hirschhorn JN, Müller-Nurasyid M, Loos RJ. A principal component meta-analysis on multiple anthropometric traits identifies novel loci for body shape. Nat Commun. 2016 Nov 23;7:13357. doi: 10.1038/ncomms13357. PubMed
McEvoy JW, Martin SS, Dardari ZA, Miedema MD, Sandfort V, Yeboah J, Budoff MJ, Goff DC, Psaty BM, Post WS, Nasir K, Blumenthal RS, Blaha MJ. Coronary artery calcium to guide a personalized risk-based approach to initiation and intensification of antihypertensive therapy. Circulation. 2016 Nov 23. pii: CIRCULATIONAHA.116.025471. [Epub ahead of print]. 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
Study finds bariatric surgery linked to substantially lower risk of blood clots long-term
Largest study to date helps patients weigh risks and benefits of surgery.
Live healthy
Measuring blood pressure at home: It's easy and accurate
Bev Green, doctor and scientist, has tips for monitoring your blood pressure without leaving your house.
Healthy findings blog
New grant boosts research on cardiovascular disease
Epidemiologist Laura B. Harrington, PhD, MPH, speaks about working in cardiovascular and aging research.
Research to practice
Home blood pressure monitoring: From study to clinic
Beverly Green, MD, and Kaiser Permanente work to improve hypertension care.
Research
Is blood pressure reading better at home or clinic?
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
Land Acknowledgment
Our Seattle offices sit on the occupied land of the Duwamish and by the shared waters of the Coast Salish people, who have been here thousands of years and remain. Learn about practicing land acknowledgment.