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
Ganesh SK, Chasman DI, Larson MG, Guo X, Verwoert G, Bis JC, Gu X, Smith AV, Yang ML, Zhang Y, Ehret G, Rose LM, Hwang SJ, Papanicolau GJ, Sijbrands EJ, Rice K, Eiriksdottir G, Pihur V, Ridker PM, Vasan RS, Newton-Cheh C, Raffel LJ, Amin N, Rotter JI, Liu K, Launer LJ, Xu M, Caulfield M, Morrison AC, Johnson AD, Vaidya D, Dehghan A, Li G, Bouchard C, Harris TB, Zhang H, Boerwinkle E, Siscovick DS, Gao W, Uitterlinden AG, Rivadeneira F, Hofman A, Willer CJ, Franco OH, Huo Y, Witteman JC, Munroe PB, Gudnason V, Palmas W, van Dujin C, Fornage M, Levy D, Psaty BM, Chakravarti A. Effects of long-term averaging of quantitative blood pressure traits on the detection of genetic associations. Am J Hum Genet. 2014;95(1):49-65. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.06.002. Epub 2014 Jun 26. PubMed
Gieger C, Meitinger T, Perz S, Peters A, Prucha H, Sinner MF, Waldenberger M, de Boer RA, Franke L, van der Vleuten PA, Beckmann BM, Martens E, Bardai A, Simino J, Shi G, Bis JC, Chasman DI, Ehret GB, Gu X, Guo X, Hwang SJ, Sijbrands E, Smith AV, Verwoert GC, Bragg-Gresham JL, Cadby G, Chen P, Cheng CY, Corre T, de Boer RA, Goel A, Johnson T, Khor CC; LifeLines Cohort Study, Lluís-Ganella C, Luan J, Lyytikäinen LP, Nolte IM, Sim X, Sõber S, van der Most PJ, Verweij N, Zhao JH, Amin N, Boerwinkle E, Bouchard C, Dehghan A, Eiriksdottir G, Elosua R, Franco OH, Gieger C, Harris TB, Hercberg S, Hofman A, James AL, Johnson AD, Kähönen M, Khaw KT, Kutalik Z, Larson MG, Launer LJ, Li G, Liu J, Liu K, Morrison AC, Navis G, Ong RT, Papanicolau GJ, Penninx BW, Psaty BM, Raffel LJ, Raitakari OT, Rice K, Rivadeneira F, Rose LM, Sanna S, Scott RA, Siscovick DS, Stolk RP, Uitterlinden AG, Vaidya D, van der Klauw MM, Vasan RS, Vithana EN, Völker U, Völzke H, Watkins H, Young TL, Aung T, Bochud M, Farrall M, Hartman CA, Laan M, Lakatta EG, Lehtimäki T, Loos RJ, Lucas G, Meneton P, Palmer LJ, Rettig R, Snieder H, Tai ES, Teo YY, van der Harst P, Wareham NJ, Wijmenga C, Wong TY, Fornage M, Gudnason V, Levy D, Palmas W, Ridker PM, Rotter JI, van Duijn CM, Witteman JC, Chakravarti A, Rao DC. Gene-age interactions in blood pressure regulation: a large-scale investigation with the CHARGE, Global BPgen, and ICBP consortia. Nat Genet. 2014 Jul 3;95(1):24-38. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.05.010. Epub 2014 Jun 19. PubMed
TG and HDL Working Group of the Exome Sequencing Project, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Crosby J, Peloso GM, Auer PL, Crosslin DR, Stitziel NO, Lange LA, Lu Y, Tang ZZ, Zhang H, Hindy G, Masca N, Stirrups K, Kanoni S, Do R, Jun G, Hu Y, Kang HM, Xue C, Goel A, Farrall M, Duga S, Merlini PA, Asselta R, Girelli D, Olivieri O, Martinelli N, Yin W, Reilly D, Speliotes E, Fox CS, Hveem K, Holmen OL, Nikpay M, Farlow DN, Assimes TL, Franceschini N, Robinson J, North KE, Martin LW, DePristo M, Gupta N, Escher SA, Jansson JH, Van Zuydam N, Palmer CN, Wareham N, Koch W, Meitinger T, Peters A, Lieb W, Erbel R, Konig IR, Kruppa J, Degenhardt F, Gottesman O, Bottinger EP, O'Donnell CJ, Psaty BM, Ballantyne CM, Abecasis G, Ordovas JM, Melander O, Watkins H, Orho-Melander M, Ardissino D, Loos RJ, McPherson R, Willer CJ, Erdmann J, Hall AS, Samani NJ, Deloukas P, Schunkert H, Wilson JG, Kooperberg C, Rich SS, Tracy RP, Lin DY, Altshuler D, Gabriel S, Nickerson DA, Jarvik GP, Cupples LA, Reiner AP, Boerwinkle E, Kathiresan S. Loss-of-function mutations in APOC3, triglycerides, and coronary disease. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(1):22-31. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1307095. Epub 2014 Jun 18. PubMed
Crane HM, Heckbert SR, Drozd DR, Budoff MJ, Delaney JA, Rodriguez C, Paramsothy P, Lober WB, Burkholder G, Willig JH, Mugavero MJ, Mathews WC, Crane PK, Moore RD, Napravnik S, Eron JJ, Hunt P, Geng E, Hsue P, Barnes GS, McReynolds J, Peter I, Grunfeld C, Saag MS, Kitahata MM; for the Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems Cohort Investigators. The authors reply. Am J Epidemiol. 2014 Aug 15;180(4):450. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwu167. Epub 2014 Jul 2. PubMed
Miedema MD, Maziarz M, Biggs ML, Zieman SJ, Kizer JR, Ix JH, Mozaffarian D, Tracy RP, Psaty BM, Siscovick DS, Mukamal KJ, Djousse L. Plasma-free fatty acids, fatty acid-binding protein 4, and mortality in older adults (from the Cardiovascular Health Study). Am J Cardiol. 2014 Sep 15;114(6):843-8. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2014.06.012. Epub 2014 Jul 1. 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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New grant boosts research on cardiovascular disease
Epidemiologist Laura B. Harrington, PhD, MPH, speaks about working in cardiovascular and aging research.
Research to practice
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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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