Leopoldo Raij, M.D., FAHA, professor of medicine and a nationally recognized hypertension researcher, has been selected to receive the 2009 Irvine Page-Alva Bradley Lifetime Achievement Award in Hypertension. The prestigious award, sponsored by the American Heart Association's Council for High Blood Pressure Research, is presented annually to an individual who has shown a lifetime of outstanding achievements in the field of hypertension and has served as a role model through service, research, teaching and training--a description Raij exemplifies.

"Just imagine how flattered I am to receive such a prestigious national award, and it is given to me by my peers, which is so important, because my peers are the ones who can best evaluate my accomplishments," said Dr. Raij. "I'm very, very happy."

Raij has made significant contributions to the field of hypertension and how it relates to cardiovascular and kidney disease, and has linked those basic research findings directly to clinical care. "Understanding how hypertension accelerates the development of both atherosclerosis and kidney disease is something we have worked on for many years," said Raij. "Through our early research and subsequent research, we identified certain agents used for the treatment of hypertension that can also provide better protection for the kidneys and the cardiovascular system.

More recent work by Raij and his group has demonstrated and extended the understanding of the protective role of statins in both cardiovascular and kidney disease. "Our aim and hope is that through ongoing research, our findings will continue to profoundly affect the lives of patients all over the world."

"By presenting Leopoldo with this incredible award, the council is recognizing a true leader in the field of hypertension research who has had a tremendous impact on the lives of patients with high blood pressure," said Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., senior vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Miller School.

A native of Argentina, Raij joined the Miller School faculty in 2001, where he is director of hypertension in the Renal-Hypertension Division and director of hypertension and nephrology research at the International Medicine Institute. He is also chief of the Nephrology-Hypertension Section at the Miami VA Medical Center.

The impact of Raij's contributions has been underlined by the Council for High Blood Pressure Research in the past with the Lewis Dahl Lecture Award. His latest award from the council will be presented during a special ceremony at the AHA's 63rd High Blood Pressure Conference in Chicago on September 24.