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
Deelen J, Evans DS, Arking DE, Tesi N, Nygaard M, Liu X, Wojczynski MK, Biggs ML, van der Spek A, Atzmon G, Ware EB, Sarnowski C, Smith AV, Seppälä I, Cordell HJ, Dose J, Amin N, Arnold AM, Ayers KL, Barzilai N, Becker EJ, Beekman M, Blanché H, Christensen K, Christiansen L, Collerton JC, Cubaynes S, Cummings SR, Davies K, Debrabant B, Deleuze JF, Duncan R, Faul JD, Franceschi C, Galan P, Gudnason V, Harris TB, Huisman M, Hurme MA, Jagger C, Jansen I, Jylhä M, Kähönen M, Karasik D, Kardia SLR, Kingston A, Kirkwood TBL, Launer LJ, Lehtimäki T, Lieb W, Lyytikäinen LP, Martin-Ruiz C, Min J, Nebel A, Newman AB, Nie C, Nohr EA, Orwoll ES, Perls TT, Province MA, Psaty BM, Raitakari OT, Reinders MJT, Robine JM, Rotter JI, Sebastiani P, Smith J, Sørensen TIA, Taylor KD, Uitterlinden AG, van der Flier W, van der Lee SJ, van Duijn CM, van Heemst D, Vaupel JW, Weir D, Ye K, Zeng Y, Zheng W, Holstege H, Kiel DP, Lunetta KL, Slagboom PE, Murabito JM. A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies identifies multiple longevity genes. Nat Commun. 2019 Aug 14;10(1):3669. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11558-2. PubMed
Do AN, Zhao W, Baldridge AS, Raffield LM, Wiggins KL, Shah SJ, Aslibekyan S, Tiwari HK, Limdi N, Zhi D, Sitlani CM, Taylor KD, Psaty BM, Sotoodehnia N, Brody JA, Rasmussen-Torvik LJ, Lloyd-Jones D, Lange LA, Wilson JG, Smith JA, Kardia SLR, Mosley TH, Vasan RS, Arnett DK, Irvin MR. Genome-wide meta-analysis of SNP and antihypertensive medication interactions on left ventricular traits in African Americans. Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2019 Oct;7(10):e00788. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.788. Epub 2019 Aug 13. PubMed
Parchman ML, Anderson ML, Dorr DA, Fagnan LJ, O’Meara ES, Tuzzio L, Penfold RB, Cook AJ, Hummel J, Conway C, Cholan R, Baldwin LM. A randomized trial of external practice support to improve cardiovascular risk factors in primary care. Ann Fam Med. 2019 Aug 12;17(Suppl 1):S40-S49. doi: 10.1370/afm.2407. PubMed
van der Lee SJ, Knol MJ, Chauhan G, Satizabal CL, Smith AV, Hofer E, Bis JC, Hibar DP, Hilal S, van den Akker EB, Arfanakis K, Bernard M, Yanek LR, Amin N, Crivello F, Cheung JW, Harris TB, Saba Y, Lopez OL, Li S, van der Grond J, Yu L, Paus T, Roshchupkin GV, Amouyel P, Jahanshad N, Taylor KD, Yang Q, Mathias RA, Boehringer S, Mazoyer B, Rice K, Cheng CY, Maillard P, van Heemst D, Wong TY, Niessen WJ, Beiser AS, Beekman M, Zhao W, Nyquist PA, Chen C, Launer LJ, Psaty BM, Ikram MK, Vernooij MW, Schmidt H, Pausova Z, Becker DM, De Jager PL, Thompson PM, van Duijn CM, Bennett DA, Slagboom PE, Schmidt R, Longstreth WT, Ikram MA, Seshadri S, Debette S, Gudnason V, Adams HHH, DeCarli C. A genome-wide association study identifies genetic loci associated with specific lobar brain volumes. Commun Biol. 2019 Aug 2;2(1):285. doi: 10.1038/s42003-019-0537-9. PubMed
Evangelou E, Gao H, Chu C, Ntritsos G, Blakeley P, Butts AR, Pazoki R, Suzuki H, Koskeridis F, Yiorkas AM, Karaman I, Elliott J, Luo Q, Aeschbacher S, Bartz TM, Baumeister SE, Braund PS, Brown MR, Brody JA, Clarke TK, Dimou N, Faul JD, Homuth G, Jackson AU, Kentistou KA, Joshi PK, Lemaitre RN, Lind PA, Lyytikäinen LP, Mangino M, Milaneschi Y, Nelson CP, Nolte IM, Perälä MM, Polasek O, Porteous D, Ratliff SM, Smith JA, Stancáková A, Teumer A, Tuominen S, Thériault S, Vangipurapu J, Whitfield JB, Wood A, Yao J, Yu B, Zhao W, Arking DE, Auvinen J, Liu C, Männikkö M, Risch L, Rotter JI, Snieder H, Veijola J, Blakemore AI, Boehnke M, Campbell H, Conen D, Eriksson JG, Grabe HJ, Guo X, van der Harst P, Hartman CA, Hayward C, Heath AC, Jarvelin MR, Kähönen M, Kardia SLR, Kühne M, Kuusisto J, Laakso M, Lahti J, Lehtimäki T, McIntosh AM, Mohlke KL, Morrison AC, Martin NG, Oldehinkel AJ, Penninx BWJH, Psaty BM, Raitakari OT, Rudan I, Samani NJ, Scott LJ, Spector TD, Verweij N, Weir DR, Wilson JF, Levy D, Tzoulaki I, Bell JD, Matthews PM, Rothenfluh A, Desrivières S, Schumann G, Elliott P. New alcohol-related genes suggest shared genetic mechanisms with neuropsychiatric disorders. Nat Hum Behav. 2019 Sep;3(9):950-961. doi: 10.1038/s41562-019-0653-z. Epub 2019 Jul 29. PubMed
Researchers in Cardiovascular Health
 Sascha Dublin, MD, PhDSenior Investigator |
 Beverly B. Green, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
 Laura Harrington, PhD, MPHAssociate 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
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KPWHRI in the media
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Hypertension headache: Medical myth or true health concern?
AARP, June 3, 2024
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