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
Medina-Gomez C, Kemp JP, Trajanoska K, Luan J, Chesi A, Ahluwalia TS, Mook-Kanamori DO, Ham A, Hartwig FP, Evans DS, Joro R, Nedeljkovic I, Zheng HF, Zhu K, Atalay M, Liu CT, Nethander M, Broer L, Porleifsson G, Mullin BH, Handelman SK, Nalls MA, Jessen LE, Heppe DHM, Richards JB, Wang C, Chawes B, Schraut KE, Amin N, Wareham N, Karasik D, Van der Velde N, Ikram MA, Zemel BS, Zhou Y, Carlsson CJ, Liu Y, McGuigan FE, Boer CG, Bønnelykke K, Ralston SH, Robbins JA, Walsh JP, Zillikens MC, Langenberg C, Li-Gao R, Williams FMK, Harris TB, Akesson K, Jackson RD, Sigurdsson G, den Heijer M, van der Eerden BCJ, van de Peppel J, Spector TD, Pennell C, Horta BL, Felix JF, Zhao JH, Wilson SG, de Mutsert R, Bisgaard H, Styrkársdóttir U, Jaddoe VW, Orwoll E, Lakka TA, Scott R, Grant SFA, Lorentzon M, van Duijn CM, Wilson JF, Stefansson K, Psaty BM, Kiel DP, Ohlsson C, Ntzani E, van Wijnen AJ, Forgetta V, Ghanbari M, Logan JG, Williams GR, Bassett JHD, Croucher PI, Evangelou E, Uitterlinden AG, Ackert-Bicknell CL, Tobias JH, Evans DM, Rivadeneira F. Life-course genome-wide association study meta-analysis of total body bmd and assessment of age-specific effects. Am J Hum Genet. 2018;102(1):88-102. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.12.005. PubMed
Tomaselli G, Roach WH, Pina IL, Oster ME, Dietz WH, Horton K, Borden WB, Brownell K, Gibbons RJ, Otten JJ, Lee CS, Hill C, Heidenreich PA, Siscovick DS, Whitsel LP. Government continues to have an important role in promoting cardiovascular health. Am Heart J. 2018;198:160-165. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2017.11.002. Epub 2018 Jan 3. PubMed
de Oliveira Otto MC, Lemaitre RN, Sun Q, King IB, Wu JHY, Manichaikul A, Rich SS, Tsai MY, Chen YD, Fornage M, Weihua G, Aslibekyan S, Irvin MR, Kabagambe EK, Arnett DK, Jensen MK, McKnight B, Psaty BM, Steffen LM, Smith CE, Risérus U, Lind L, Hu FB, Rimm EB, Siscovick DS, Mozaffarian D. Genome-wide association meta-analysis of circulating odd-numbered chain saturated fatty acids: results from the CHARGE Consortium. PLoS One. 2018 May 8;13(5):e0196951. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196951. eCollection 2018. PubMed
Liu CY, Heckbert SR, Lai S, Ambale-Venkatesh B, Ostovaneh MR, McClelland RL, Lima JAC, Bluemke DA. Association of elevated NT-proBNP with myocardial fibrosis in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70(25):3102-3109. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.044. PubMed
Mozaffarian D, Dashti HS, Wojczynski MK, Chu AY, Nettleton JA, Männistö S, Kristiansson K, Reedik M, Lahti J, Houston DK, Cornelis MC, van Rooij FJA, Dimitriou M, Kanoni S, Mikkilä V, Steffen LM, de Oliveira Otto MC, Qi L, Psaty B, Djousse L, Rotter JI, Harald K, Perola M, Rissanen H, Jula A, Krista F, Mihailov E, Feitosa MF, Ngwa JS, Xue L, Jacques PF, Perälä MM, Palotie A, Liu Y, Nalls NA, Ferrucci L, Hernandez D, Manichaikul A, Tsai MY, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Hofman A, Uitterlinden AG, Rallidis L, Ridker PM, Rose LM, Buring JE, Lehtimäki T, Kähönen M, Viikari J, Lemaitre R, Salomaa V, Knekt P, Metspalu A, Borecki IB, Cupples LA, Eriksson JG, Kritchevsky SB, Bandinelli S, Siscovick D, Franco OH, Deloukas P, Dedoussis G, Chasman DI, Raitakari O, Tanaka T. Genome-wide association meta-analysis of fish and EPA+DHA consumption in 17 US and European cohorts. PLoS One. 2017 Dec 13;12(12):e0186456. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186456. eCollection 2017. 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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