Area of Specialization
Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular disease covers heart attack, stroke, and other health conditions relating to the heart and blood vessels and is a leading cause of death. Our researchers have been recognized with some of the leading scientific awards for their work in this area––work that has had major impacts on how the medical community approaches and understands the disease and its risk factors.
Cardiovascular disease covers heart attack, stroke, and other health conditions relating to the heart and blood vessels and is a leading cause of death. Our researchers have been recognized with some of the leading scientific awards for their work in this area––work that has had major impacts on how the medical community approaches and understands the disease and its risk factors.
Academics
Much of the coursework on CVD is in the Epidemiology Department. Some examples:
- Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (EPID 6220) is an introductory course that covers the distribution, natural history, and risk factors for CVD.
- Nutritional Epidemiology (EPID 6500) is a rapidly evolving field of research that uses specialized methods to identify dietary and lifestyle factors related to human diseases like CVD.
- Clinical Epidemiology (EPID 6420) goes into the basic requirements for randomized clinical trials and covers the outcomes of illness, treatments, diagnostic tests, and screening programs.
Career Options
Research is an exciting area for CVD, and Tulane SPHTM has a particular strength in this area. However, given the impact that cardiovascular disease has on human health, the career options are broad. For emerging public health professionals, studying and understanding cardiovascular disease would be useful in a variety of settings, from state health agencies to national non-governmental organizations, in research, and in global settings where rates have been increasing in recent decades.
Faculty Spotlight
Paul S. Whelton, MD, MSc
Show Chwan Health System Endowed Chair in Global Public Health
Dr. Whelton might be the closest thing SPHTM has to a public health “rock star.” He’s been at the university for more than a quarter of a century and has served as dean of both the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and the School of Medicine. Among his many accolades, Dr. Whelton chaired the committee that redefined how hypertension is diagnosed, based on the study he led, the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Read more.
Research Impact
- The Tulane Translational Science Institute (TUTSI) is a university-wide research center with the goal of increasing high-impact clinical, translation, and implementation research at Tulane and in Louisiana. In particular, TUTSI nurtures competitive independent researchers and facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration.
- The Tulane Office of Health Research is a 5,000 sq. ft. clinical research facility located in SPHTM and is the site for several major studies including the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study. Kidney disease and CVD are closely interrelated, so many researchers study both.
- The Center for Lifespan Epidemiology Research is the home of the Bogalusa Heart Study, the longest-running biracial longitudinal study of children, focusing on identifying early contributors to CVD.
News Highlights
- Tulane awarded $8.7 million to work with Black churches to eliminate cardiovascular health disparities. Read more.
- Walking more than five flights of stairs a day can cut the risk of heart disease by 20%, a study says.
- Tulane SPHTM professor receives the highest honor for extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular research. Read more.
