Research History

The Berman Center started as a research division of Mt. Sinai Hospital in 1966. The Center was founded by Dr. Reuben Berman, a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular research. It has a history of working with federal programs, pharmaceutical companies, managed care facilities and other research organizations, to focus on the evaluation of treatments for common, chronic and costly medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and women's health issues including breast cancer, osteoporosis and hormone replacement therapy. The Center is credited with many landmark studies that have dramatically impacted the course and quality of health care in the United States.

According to Richard Grimm, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., many of the studies conducted at the Berman Center have had an immediate impact for members of the community. He cites a study that looked at systolic (upper number) high blood pressure in 200 men and women from the Twin Cities who were over 60 and had elevated systolic blood pressure. The study showed that stroke rates were reduced by a third when elevated systolic blood pressures was treated.

Recently, the Berman Center was one of 40 research centers in the country involved in the largest hypertension outcomes trial ever completed, the Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) study. The study amassed data from 18,790 patients in 26 countries over a 5-year period. It was determined that lowering diastolic (lower number) blood pressure beyond the recommended level of 90 can help reduce the risk of major heart attacks and strokes.

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