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.”

Laura B. Harrington, PhD, MPH
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute Assistant Investigator

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

Harrington LB, Marck BT, Wiggins KL, McKnight B, Heckbert SR, Woods NF, LaCroix AZ, Blondon M, Psaty BM, Rosendaal FR, Matsumoto AM, Smith NL. Cross-sectional association of endogenous steroid hormone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and precursor steroid levels with hemostatic factor levels in postmenopausal women. J Thromb Haemost. 2016 Oct 31. doi: 10.1111/jth.13554. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Lubitz SA, Yin X, Lin H, Kolek M, Smith JG, Trompet S, Rienstra M, Rost NS, Teixeira P, Almgren P, Anderson CD, Chen LY, Engström G, Ford I, Furie KL, Guo X, Larson MG, Lunetta K, Macfarlane PW, Psaty BM, Soliman EZ, Sotoodehnia N, Stott DJ, Taylor KD, Weng LC, Yao J, Geelhoed B, Verweij N, Siland JE, Kathiresan S, Roselli C, Roden DM, van der Harst P, Darbar D, Jukema JW, Melander O, Rosand J, Rotter JI, Heckbert SR, Ellinor PT, Alonso A, Benjamin EJ; AFGen Consortium. Genetic risk prediction of atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2016 Oct 28. pii: CIRCULATIONAHA.116.024143. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Reynolds K, Go AS, Leong TK, Boudreau DM, Cassidy-Bushrow AE, Fortmann SP, Goldberg RJ, Gurwitz JH, Magid DJ, Margolis KL, McNeal CJ, Newton KM, Novotny R, Quesenberry CP Jr, Rosamond WD, Smith DH, VanWormer JJ, Vupputuri S, Waring SC, Williams MS, Sidney S. Trends in incidence of hospitalized acute myocardial infarction in the Cardiovascular Research Network (CVRN). Am J Med. 2016 Oct 14. pii: S0002-9343(16)31020-8. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2016.09.014. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed

Wallace ER, Siscovick DS, Sitlani CM, Dublin S, Mitchell P, Robbins JA, Fink HA, Cauley JA, Buzkova P, Carbone L, Chen Z, Heckbert SR. Incident atrial fibrillation and the risk of fracture in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Osteoporos Int. 2016 Oct 7. [Epub ahead of print]. 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 Jr, 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.  Nat Commun. 2017 Jan 18;8:13624. doi: 10.1038/ncomms13624. PubMed

Researchers in Cardiovascular Health

Sascha Dublin, MD, PhD

Senior Investigator
206-287-2870
Sascha.Dublin@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
206-287-2997
Bev.B.Green@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Laura Harrington, PhD, MPH

Assistant Investigator
206-287-2066
Laura.B.Harrington@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Ellen O'Meara, PhD

Principal Collaborative Scientist
206-287-2938
Ellen.S.O'Meara@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Nicole M. Gatto, PhD, MPH

Principal Collaborative Scientist
Nicole.M.Gatto@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Meagan C. Brown, PhD, MPH

Assistant Investigator
Meagan.C.Brown@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

 

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