Cardiovascular Disease Research

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the US. About 1,400,000 people die from cardiovascular disease annually. The American Heart Association estimates that 2,600 Americans die of cardiovascular disease every day. At Johns Hopkins, faculty with a particular interest in cardiovascular disease are approaching both primary and secondary prevention modalities in high risk populations, including families with premature coronary disease, people with hypertension and or obesity, and an urban community population. Studies range from genetic and molecular studies of the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease to studies of vascular properties, lifestyle interventions, and responsiveness to preventive pharmacotherapy. We also have a broad interest in the context in which intervention and prevention strategies are employed, including medical environments, alternative care systems in communities, and self-help. A considerable portion of our work is focused on genetic epidemiology and gene-environment interactions. Hopkins GIM brings together experts in cardiovascular and related research on the Hopkins campus, including faculty from Cardiology (Drs. Lewis Becker, Jeffrey Brinker, Pamela Ouyang, and Kerry J. Stewart), Critical Care Medicine (platelet function, Dr. Nauder Faraday), Endocrinology (Dr. Annabelle Rodriquez, Neurology (Dr. Paul Nyquist), Radiology (Dr. Elliott K. Fishman), Neuroradiology (Dr. David Yousem), and Genetic epidemiology (Dr. M. Danielle Fallin).

Information about Hopkins GIM faculty working in these research areas is provided below.

Lawrence Appel, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, and International Health
Director, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Research Interests: Prevention of blood pressure-related cardiovascular and kidney diseases through pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches, often nutrition-based   
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Diane M. Becker, MPH, ScD
Professor of Medicine and Health Policy and Management;
Director, Center for Family Studies in Cardiovascular Disease
Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology, health disparities, primary prevention, behavioral sciences, research design
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Frederick L. Brancati, MD, MHS, FACP
Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology
Director, Division of General Internal Medicine
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Principal Investigator, Look AHEAD Study
Principal Investigator, NIDDKgrant (K24) for Patient-Oriented Research in Type 2 Diabetes
Research Interests: Epidemiology and prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus and related conditions
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED 

Daniel Brotman, MD, FACP, FSHM
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Johns Hopkins Hospitalist Program
Research Interests: Vascular events in hospitalized adults, circadian rhythms
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Lisa Cooper, MD, MPH, FACP
Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Behavior and Society
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Director, Center to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities
Research Interests: Health disparities in CVD, spirituality, physician-patient relationship and communication
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, MHS
Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine
Core Faculty,Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Director, CVD Epidemiology Track
Director, NHLBI Training Grant (T32) in Cardiovascular Epidemiology
Principal Investigator, the ARIC Study
Research Interests: Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, genetic and molecular epidemiology, epidemiologic methods
To see publication abstracts:  PUBMED

Eliseo Guallar, MD, DrPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Research Interests: Epidemiology of heavy metal exposure in related to cardiovascular disease, meta-analytic methods, advanced epidemiologic methods
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH
Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine
Dean, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health        
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research       
Research Interests: Cardiovascular and renal epidemiology
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Edgar (Pete) Miller, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology
Core Faculty, Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research
Research Interests: Hypertension, CVD prevention, weight reduction
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Rehan Qayyum, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Meta-analysis in diabetes and CVD treatment
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

Dhananjay (Jay) Vaidya, MBBS, PhD, MPH 
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Research Interests: Statistics, vascular properties, gender differences and hormonal influences, randomized clinical trials
To see publication abstracts: PUBMED

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