Mattias Brunström serves as Assistant Professor of Cardiology and Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Umeå University's Faculty of Medicine within the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Cardiology. He is concurrently a resident physician at Norrlands University Hospital and holds leadership roles as chairman of Sweden's national hypertension working group and scientific secretary of the Swedish Society for Hypertension, Stroke and Vascular Medicine, with active participation in the European and International Societies of Hypertension. His academic foundation includes a 2018 PhD thesis examining blood pressure-lowering treatment effects across different blood pressure levels through systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials. This doctoral work established his expertise in evidence-based cardiovascular therapeutics and epidemiological methodology. Dr. Brunström's research program centers on cardiovascular disease risk factors, with specialized focus on hypertension pathophysiology and aortic diseases. His group investigates how adolescent blood pressure levels predict future cardiovascular events, examining interactions with obesity, physical fitness, and diabetes to improve risk stratification. They also analyze differential effects of antihypertensive drug classes on cardiovascular outcomes and study risk factors for aortic dissection/rupture to optimize preventive surgical interventions. This work addresses critical gaps in managing the world's leading cause of death, where uncontrolled hypertension contributes to 10 million annual fatalities despite effective treatments. Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in hypertension guideline development, treatment threshold controversies, and cardiovascular risk assessment. His work frequently challenges conventional approaches (e.g., questioning excessive treatment of 'elevated' blood pressure in elderly patients) while advancing evidence for lifestyle interventions and beta-blocker utility. Methodologically, his research leverages large cohort studies (including 1.4 million enlistee data), systematic reviews, and international collaborations through societies like ESH and ISH to translate epidemiological findings into clinical practice. Dr. Brunström leads multiple funded research initiatives including 'Remission of type 2 diabetes through eHealth' (2022-2028) and 'VIPviza' (2013-2027), directing a multidisciplinary team that bridges clinical cardiology, epidemiology, and public health. His advisory role extends to national guideline committees and international hypertension societies where he shapes clinical practice through evidence synthesis and position papers. Based at Norrlands University Hospital's Cardiology Section, his research group operates within Umeå University's strong cardiovascular research ecosystem, maintaining active collaborations with the Swedish National Diabetes Register and international consortia. Their work emphasizes real-world applicability, examining topics like bedtime dosing of antihypertensives and self-report diagnostic tools to overcome barriers in hypertension control where only 25% of affected individuals achieve target blood pressure levels.
