Ep. 2 | Bending the Curve: Rewriting the Future of Hypertension

Streaming now on: Amazon Music  |  Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify  |  Soundcloud  |  YouTube

Learn More About Beyond the Endpoint  |  View All Episodes

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a major global health challenge, affecting more than 1 billion people worldwide. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and death. The future for hypertension doesn’t look good. So, what can we do to change the predicted future by improving “last mile” interventions? 

In this episode of "Beyond the Endpoint," our hosts are joined by guest host Jenny Cook to speak with guest Dhruv Kazi about ways to reduce hypertension. A light-hearted confession from Jenny about her love for salt leads to a deeper discussion on the impact of salt on hypertension. We discuss the importance of managing blood pressure and the associated risks of hypertension while exploring the systemic factors contributing to hypertension and the need for both individual and systemic solutions. Kazi delves into promising interventions for addressing hypertension and how to scale them for broader access.

Relevant Studies and Related Links

• Potassium-Enriched Salt Substitutes: A Review of Recommendations in Clinical Management Guidelines

• Population shifts, risk factors may triple U.S. cardiovascular disease costs by 2050

• Forecasting the Burden of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in the U.S. Through 2050—Prevalence of Risk Factors and Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

• Tracking Blood Pressure Control Performance and Process Metrics in 25 U.S. Health Systems: The PCORnet Blood Pressure Control Laboratory

About Our Guests

Dhruv Kazi, MD, MSc, MS, is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Associate Director of the Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). Kazi is both a cardiologist and a health economist specializing in cardiovascular health economics and its impact on health policy. His expertise includes comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness research to identify diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that are effective in real-world populations and provide societal value for money. His work encompasses the U.S. healthcare system as well as low- and middle-income countries, focusing particularly on innovative strategies to address the epidemic of cardiovascular disease in emerging economies through the effective use of low-cost technologies.

Learn More About Dhruv Kazi, MD, MSc, MS

Jenny Cook, MPH, has over 20 years of experience leading healthcare engagement and communications strategy with patients, communities, and academic audiences. She is currently the Associate Director of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History at the Duke University School of Medicine.  She lives in Carrboro, NC, where she is a volunteer radio and event DJ.