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
Robinson-Cohen C, Lutsey PL, Kleber ME, Nielson CM, Mitchell BD, Bis JC, Eny KM, Portas L, Eriksson J, Lorentzon M, Koller DL, Milaneschi Y, Teumer A, Pilz S, Nethander M, Selvin E, Tang W, Weng LC, Wong HS, Lai D, Peacock M, Hannemann A, Völker U, Homuth G, Nauk M, Murgia F, Pattee JW, Orwoll E, Zmuda JM, Riancho JA, Wolf M, Williams F, Penninx B, Econs MJ, Ryan KA, Ohlsson C, Paterson AD, Psaty BM, Siscovick DS, Rotter JI, Pirastu M, Streeten E, März W, Fox C, Coresh J, Wallaschofski H, Pankow JS, de Boer IH, Kestenbaum B. Genetic variants associated with circulating parathyroid hormone. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2016 Dec 7. pii: ASN.2016010069. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Li M, Li Y, Weeks O, Mijatovic V, Teumer A, Huffman JE, Tromp G, Fuchsberger C, Gorski M, Lyytikäinen LP, Nutile T, Sedaghat S, Sorice R, Tin A, Yang Q, Ahluwalia TS, Arking DE, Bihlmeyer NA, Böger CA, Carroll RJ, Chasman DI, Cornelis MC, Dehghan A, Faul JD, Feitosa MF, Gambaro G, Gasparini P, Giulianini F, Heid I, Huang J, Imboden M, Jackson AU, Jeff J, Jhun MA, Katz R, Kifley A, Kilpeläinen TO, Kumar A, Laakso M, Li-Gao R, Lohman K, Lu Y, Mägi R, Malerba G, Mihailov E, Mohlke KL, Mook-Kanamori DO, Robino A, Ruderfer D, Salvi E, Schick UM, Schulz CA, Smith AV, Smith JA, Traglia M, Yerges-Armstrong LM, Zhao W, Goodarzi MO, Kraja AT, Liu C, Wessel J; CHARGE Glycemic-T2D Working Group,; CHARGE Blood Pressure Working Group,, Boerwinkle E, Borecki IB, Bork-Jensen J, Bottinger EP, Braga D, Brandslund I, Brody JA, Campbell A, Carey DJ, Christensen C, Coresh J, Crook E, Curhan GC, Cusi D, de Boer IH, de Vries AP, Denny JC, Devuyst O, Dreisbach AW, Endlich K, Esko T, Franco OH, Fulop T, Gerhard GS, Glümer C, Gottesman O, Grarup N, Gudnason V, Harris TB, Hayward C, Hocking L, Hofman A, Hu FB, Husemoen LL, Jackson RD, Jørgensen T, Jørgensen ME, Kähönen M, Kardia SL, König W, Kooperberg C, Kriebel J, Launer LJ, Lauritzen T, Lehtimäki T, Levy D, Linksted P, Linneberg A, Liu Y, Loos RJ, Lupo A, Meisinger C, Melander O, Metspalu A, Mitchell P, Nauck M, Nürnberg P, Orho-Melander M, Parsa A, Pedersen O, Peters A, Peters U, Polasek O, Porteous D, Probst-Hensch NM, Psaty BM, Qi L, Raitakari OT, Reiner AP, Rettig R, Ridker PM, Rivadeneira F, Rossouw JE, Schmidt F, Siscovick D, Soranzo N, Strauch K, Toniolo D, Turner ST, Uitterlinden AG, Ulivi S, Velayutham D, Völker U, Völzke H, Waldenberger M, Wang JJ, Weir DR, Witte D, Kuivaniemi H, Fox CS, Franceschini N, Goessling W, Köttgen A, Chu AY. SOS2 and ACP1 loci identified through large-scale exome chip analysis regulate kidney development and function. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2016 Dec 5. pii: ASN.2016020131. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Taylor KC, Evans DS, Edwards DRV, Edwards TL, Sofer T, Li G, Liu Y, Franceschini N, Jackson RD, Giri A, Donneyong M, Psaty B, Rotter JI, LaCroix AZ, Jordan JM, Robbins JA, Lewis B, Stefanick ML, Liu Y, Garcia M, Harris T, Cauley JA, North KE. A genome-wide association study meta-analysis of clinical fracture in 10,012 African American women. Bone Rep. 2016 Aug 27;5:233-242. doi: 10.1016/j.bonr.2016.08.005. eCollection 2016 Dec. PubMed
Hsu YH, Li G, Liu CT, Brody JA, Karasik D, Chou WC, Demissie S, Nandakumar K, Zhou Y, Cheng CH, Gill R, Gibbs RA, Muzny D, Santibanez J, Estrada K, Rivadeneira F, Harris T, Gudnason V, Uitterlinden A, Psaty BM, Robbins JA, Adrienne Cupples L, Kiel DP. Targeted sequencing of genome wide significant loci associated with bone mineral density (bmd) reveals significant novel and rare variants: the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) targeted sequencing study. Hum Mol Genet. 2016 Dec 1;25(23):5234-5243. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddw289. PubMed
Schumann G, Liu C, O'Reilly P, Gao H, Song P, Xu B, Ruggeri B, Amin N, Jia T, Preis S, Segura Lepe M, Akira S, Barbieri C, Baumeister S, Cauchi S, Clarke TK, Enroth S, Fischer K, Hällfors J, Harris SE, Hieber S, Hofer E, Hottenga JJ, Johansson Å, Joshi PK, Kaartinen N, Laitinen J, Lemaitre R, Loukola A, Luan J, Lyytikäinen LP, Mangino M, Manichaikul A, Mbarek H, Milaneschi Y, Moayyeri A, Mukamal K, Nelson C, Nettleton J, Partinen E, Rawal R, Robino A, Rose L, Sala C, Satoh T, Schmidt R, Schraut K, Scott R, Smith AV, Starr JM, Teumer A, Trompet S, Uitterlinden AG, Venturini C, Vergnaud AC, Verweij N, Vitart V, Vuckovic D, Wedenoja J, Yengo L, Yu B, Zhang W, Zhao JH, Boomsma DI, Chambers J, Chasman DI, Daniela T, de Geus E, Deary I, Eriksson JG, Esko T, Eulenburg V, Franco OH, Froguel P, Gieger C, Grabe HJ, Gudnason V, Gyllensten U, Harris TB, Hartikainen AL, Heath AC, Hocking L, Hofman A, Huth C, Jarvelin MR, Jukema JW, Kaprio J, Kooner JS, Kutalik Z, Lahti J, Langenberg C, Lehtimäki T, Liu Y, Madden PA, Martin N, Morrison A, Penninx B, Pirastu N, Psaty B, Raitakari O, Ridker P, Rose R, Rotter JI, Samani NJ, Schmidt H, Spector TD, Stott D, Strachan D, Tzoulaki I, van der Harst P, van Duijn CM, Marques-Vidal P, Vollenweider P, Wareham NJ, Whitfield JB, Wilson J, Wolffenbuttel B, Bakalkin G, Evangelou E, Liu Y, Rice KM, Desrivières S, Kliewer SA, Mangelsdorf DJ, Müller CP, Levy D, Elliott P. KLB is associated with alcohol drinking, and its gene product ß-Klotho is necessary for FGF21 regulation of alcohol preference. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Dec 13;113(50):14372-14377. Epub 2016 Nov 28. 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
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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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