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
Kubota Y, London SJ, Cushman M, Chamberlain AM, Rosamond WD, Heckbert SR, Zakai N, Folsom AR. Lung function, respiratory symptoms and venous thromboembolism risk: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. J Thromb Haemost. 2016 Oct 1. doi: 10.1111/jth.13525. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Jakobsdottir J, van der Lee SJ, Bis JC, Chouraki V, Li-Kroeger D, Yamamoto S, Grove ML, Naj A, Vronskaya M, Salazar JL, DeStefano AL, Brody JA, Smith AV, Amin N, Sims R, Ibrahim-Verbaas CA, Choi SH, Satizabal CL, Lopez OL, Beiser A, Ikram MA, Garcia ME, Hayward C, Varga TV, Ripatti S, Franks PW, Hallmans G, Rolandsson O, Jansson JH, Porteous DJ, Salomaa V, Eiriksdottir G, Rice KM, Bellen HJ, Levy D, Uitterlinden AG, Emilsson V, Rotter JI, Aspelund T; Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology consortium, Alzheimer’s Disease Genetic Consortium, Genetic and Environmental Risk in Alzheimer’s Disease consortium, O'Donnell CJ, Fitzpatrick AL, Launer LJ, Hofman A, Wang LS, Williams J, Schellenberg GD, Boerwinkle E, Psaty BM, Seshadri S, Shulman JM, Gudnason V, van Duijn CM. Rare functional variant in TM2D3 is associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. PLoS Genet. 2016 20;12(10):e1006327. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006327. eCollection 2016 Oct. PubMed
Polasek O, Tanaka T, Arking DE, Ulivi S, Trompet S, Muller-Nurasyid M, Smith AV, Dorr M, Kerr KF, Magnani JW, Del Greco M F, Zhang W, Nolte IM, Silva CT, Padmanabhan S, Tragante V, Esko T, Abecasis GR, Adriaens ME, Andersen K, Barnett P, Bis JC, Bodmer R, Buckley BM, Campbell H, Cannon MV, Chakravarti A, Chen LY, Delitala A, Devereux RB, Doevendans PA, Dominiczak AF, Ferrucci L, Ford I, Gieger C, Harris TB, Haugen E, Heinig M, Hernandez DG, Hillege HL, Hirschhorn JN, Hofman A, Hubner N, Hwang SJ, Iorio A, Kähönen M, Kellis M, Kolcic I, Kooner IK, Kooner JS, Kors JA, Lakatta EG, Lage K, Launer LJ, Levy D, Lundby A, Macfarlane PW, May D, Meitinger T, Metspalu A, Nappo S, Naitza S, Neph S, Nord AS, Nutile T, Okin PM, Olsen JV, Oostra BA, Penninger JM, Pennacchio LA, Pers TH, Perz S, Peters A, Pinto YM, Pfeufer A, Pilia MG, Pramstaller PP, Prins BP, Raitakari OT, Raychaudhuri S, Rice KM, Rossin EJ, Rotter JI, Schafer S, Schlessinger D, Schmidt CO, Sehmi J, Silljé HH, Sinagra G, Sinner MF, Slowikowski K, Soliman EZ, Spector TD, Spiering W, Stamatoyannopoulos JA, Stolk RP, Strauch K, Tan ST, Tarasov KV, Trinh B, Uitterlinden AG, van den Boogaard M, van Duijn CM, van Gilst WH, Viikari JS, Visscher PM, Vitart V, Völker U, Waldenberger M, Weichenberger CX, Westra HJ, Wijmenga C, Wolffenbuttel BH, Yang J, Bezzina CR, Munroe PB, Snieder H, Wright AF, Rudan I, Boyer LA, Asselbergs FW, van Veldhuisen DJ, Stricker BH, Psaty BM, Ciullo M, Sanna S, Lehtimäki T, Wilson JF, Bandinelli S, Alonso A, Gasparini P, Jukema JW, Kääb S, Gudnason V, Felix SB, Heckbert SR, de Boer RA, Newton-Cheh C, Hicks AA, Chambers JC, Jamshidi Y, Visel A, Christoffels VM, Isaacs A, Samani NJ, de Bakker PI. 52 genetic loci influencing myocardial mass. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;68(13):1435-48. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.07.729. PubMed
Smit RA, Postmus I, Trompet S, Barnes MR, Warren H, Arsenault BJ, Chasman DI, Cupples LA, Hitman GA, Krauss RM, Li X, Psaty BM, Stein CM, Rotter JI, Jukema JW. Rooted in risk: genetic predisposition for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level associates with diminished low-density lipoprotein cholesterol response to statin treatment. Pharmacogenomics. 2016 Sep 20. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Deo R, Norby FL, Katz R, Sotoodehnia N, Adabag S, DeFilippi CR, Kestenbaum B, Chen LY, Heckbert SR, Folsom AR, Kronmal RA, Konety S, Patton KK, Siscovick D, Shlipak MG, Alonso A. Development and validation of a sudden cardiac death prediction model for the general population. Circulation. 2016;134(11):806-16. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.023042. Epub 2016 Aug 19. 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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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
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