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
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
Armstrong HF, Lovasi GS, Soliman EZ, Heckbert SR, Psaty BM, Austin JH, Krishnan JA, Hoffman EA, Johnson C, Budoff MJ, Watson KE, Barr RG Lung function, percent emphysema, and QT duration: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) lung study 2017 Feb;123:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2016.12.003. Epub 2016-12-08. 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
Hibar DP, Adams HH, Jahanshad N, Chauhan G, Stein JL, Hofer E, Renteria ME, Bis JC, Arias-Vasquez A, Ikram MK, Desrivières S, Vernooij MW, Abramovic L, Alhusaini S, Amin N, Andersson M, Arfanakis K, Aribisala BS, Armstrong NJ, Athanasiu L, Axelsson T, Beecham AH, Beiser A, Bernard M, Blanton SH, Bohlken MM, Boks MP, Bralten J, Brickman AM, Carmichael O, Chakravarty MM, Chen Q, Ching CR, Chouraki V, Cuellar-Partida G, Crivello F, Den Braber A, Doan NT, Ehrlich S, Giddaluru S, Goldman AL, Gottesman RF, Grimm O, Griswold ME, Guadalupe T, Gutman BA, Hass J, Haukvik UK, Hoehn D, Holmes AJ, Hoogman M, Janowitz D, Jia T, Jørgensen KN, Karbalai N, Kasperaviciute D, Kim S, Klein M, Kraemer B, Lee PH, Liewald DC, Lopez LM, Luciano M, Macare C, Marquand AF, Matarin M, Mather KA, Mattheisen M, McKay DR, Milaneschi Y, Muñoz Maniega S, Nho K, Nugent AC, Nyquist P, Loohuis LM, Oosterlaan J, Papmeyer M, Pirpamer L, Pütz B, Ramasamy A, Richards JS, Risacher SL, Roiz-Santiañez R, Rommelse N, Ropele S, Rose EJ, Royle NA, Rundek T, Sämann PG, Saremi A, Satizabal CL, Schmaal L, Schork AJ, Shen L, Shin J, Shumskaya E, Smith AV, Sprooten E, Strike LT, Teumer A, Tordesillas-Gutierrez D, Toro R, Trabzuni D, Trompet S, Vaidya D, Van der Grond J, Van der Lee SJ, Van der Meer D, Van Donkelaar MM, Van Eijk KR, Van Erp TG, Van Rooij D, Walton E, Westlye LT, Whelan CD, Windham BG, Winkler AM, Wittfeld K, Woldehawariat G, Wolf C, Wolfers T, Yanek LR, Yang J, Zijdenbos A, Zwiers MP, Agartz I, Almasy L, Ames D, Amouyel P, Andreassen OA, Arepalli S, Assareh AA, Barral S, Bastin ME, Becker DM, Becker JT, Bennett DA, Blangero J, van Bokhoven H, Boomsma DI, Brodaty H, Brouwer RM, Brunner HG, Buckner RL, Buitelaar JK, Bulayeva KB, Cahn W, Calhoun VD, Cannon DM, Cavalleri GL, Cheng CY, Cichon S, Cookson MR, Corvin A, Crespo-Facorro B, Curran JE, Czisch M, Dale AM, Davies GE, De Craen AJ, De Geus EJ, De Jager PL, De Zubicaray GI, Deary IJ, Debette S, DeCarli C, Delanty N, Depondt C, DeStefano A, Dillman A, Djurovic S, Donohoe G, Drevets WC, Duggirala R, Dyer TD, Enzinger C, Erk S, Espeseth T, Fedko IO, Fernández G, Ferrucci L, Fisher SE, Fleischman DA, Ford I, Fornage M, Foroud TM, Fox PT, Francks C, Fukunaga M, Gibbs JR, Glahn DC, Gollub RL, Göring HH, Green RC, Gruber O, Gudnason V, Guelfi S, Håberg AK, Hansell NK, Hardy J, Hartman CA, Hashimoto R, Hegenscheid K, Heinz A, Le Hellard S, Hernandez DG, Heslenfeld DJ, Ho BC, Hoekstra PJ, Hoffmann W, Hofman A, Holsboer F, Homuth G, Hosten N, Hottenga JJ, Huentelman M, Pol HE, Ikeda M, Jack CR, Jenkinson M, Johnson R, Jönsson EG, Jukema JW, Kahn RS, Kanai R, Kloszewska I, Knopman DS, Kochunov P, Kwok JB, Lawrie SM, Lemaître H, Liu X, Longo DL, Lopez OL, Lovestone S, Martinez O, Martinot JL, Mattay VS, McDonald C, McIntosh AM, McMahon FJ, McMahon KL, Mecocci P, Melle I, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Mohnke S, Montgomery GW, Morris DW, Mosley TH, Mühleisen TW, Müller-Myhsok B, Nalls MA, Nauck M, Nichols TE, Niessen WJ, Nöthen MM, Nyberg L, Ohi K, Olvera RL, Ophoff RA, Pandolfo M, Paus T, Pausova Z, Penninx BW, Pike GB, Potkin SG, Psaty BM, Reppermund S, Rietschel M, Roffman JL, Romanczuk-Seiferth N, Rotter JI, Ryten M, Sacco RL, Sachdev PS, Saykin AJ, Schmidt R, Schmidt H, Schofield PR, Sigursson S, Simmons A, Singleton A, Sisodiya SM, Smith C, Smoller JW, Soininen H, Steen VM, Stott DJ, Sussmann JE, Thalamuthu A, Toga AW, Traynor BJ, Troncoso J, Tsolaki M, Tzourio C, Uitterlinden AG, Hernández MC, Van der Brug M, van der Lugt A, van der Wee NJ, Van Haren NE, van 't Ent D, Van Tol MJ, Vardarajan BN, Vellas B, Veltman DJ, Völzke H, Walter H, Wardlaw JM, Wassink TH, Weale ME, Weinberger DR, Weiner MW, Wen W, Westman E, White T, Wong TY, Wright CB, Zielke RH, Zonderman AB, Martin NG, Van Duijn CM, Wright MJ, Longstreth WT, Schumann G, Grabe HJ, Franke B, Launer LJ, Medland SE, Seshadri S, Thompson PM, Ikram MA Novel genetic loci associated with hippocampal volume 2017 Jan 18;8:13624. doi: 10.1038/ncomms13624. Epub 2017-01-18. PubMed
Researchers in Cardiovascular Health
 Meagan C. Brown, PhD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
 Sascha Dublin, MD, PhDSenior Investigator |
 Nicole M. Gatto, PhD, MPHPrincipal Collaborative Scientist |
 Beverly B. Green, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
 Laura Harrington, PhD, MPHAssociate 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
Frequent standing may boost heart health after menopause
Study suggests taking short standing breaks can improve health even if total sitting time stays the same.
Research
Study links sitting for longer stretches to risk of blood clots in older women
Taking more breaks from sitting could potentially lower the risk.
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.
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