The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a $726,611 Project Grant (CFDA 93.837 - Cardiovascular Diseases Research) to Mayo Clinic to support research aimed at understanding and addressing the lack of screening for primary aldosteronism (PA), a common cause of secondary hypertension that significantly increases cardiovascular and renal disease risk.
The research project will leverage large health insurance and electronic health record datasets to examine current patterns and racial/ethnic disparities in PA screening. It will also use a mixed-methods approach, including clinician and patient surveys and interviews across multiple healthcare systems, to explore factors contributing to underutilization of evidence-based PA screening. Finally, the project will identify feasible and acceptable strategies for improving the frequency, timeliness, and equity of PA screening through collaboration with key stakeholders. The findings from this comprehensive, multi-level investigation are intended to inform the development of future interventions that can increase evidence-based PA screening and reduce the burden of preventable complications associated with this condition.