In Memoriam: Richard H. Grimm, Jr, MD, MPH, PhD (August 22, 1946-September 8, 2022).

HomeHypertensionVol. 80, No. 3In Memoriam: Richard H. Grimm, Jr, MD, MPH, PhD (August 22, 1946–September 8, 2022) Free AccessObituaryPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessObituaryPDF/EPUBIn Memoriam: Richard H. Grimm, Jr, MD, MPH, PhD (August 22, 1946–September 8, 2022) Michael E. Ernst, Brenda Kirpach and James D. Neaton Michael E. ErnstMichael E. Ernst Correspondence to: Michael E. Ernst, Department of Family Medicine, Carver College of Medicine and Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0267-4888 Department of Family Medicine, Carver College of Medicine and Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (M.E.). Search for more papers by this author , Brenda KirpachBrenda Kirpach Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Minneapolis, MN (B.K.). Search for more papers by this author and James D. NeatonJames D. Neaton Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (J.N.). Search for more papers by this author Originally published15 Feb 2023https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20795Hypertension. 2023;80:500–502Dr Richard H. Grimm Jr, whose leadership on several landmark clinical trials over the last 5 decades helped shape our contemporary management of hypertension, died peacefully on September 8, 2022 at the age of 76 years. He will be missed greatly by family, friends, and his colleagues, whom he thought of and treated like family. Dr Grimm was an innovative and independent thinker, never afraid to challenge mainstream opinions and articulate thoughtful, introspective viewpoints. He will be remembered for his passion and enthusiasm for researching important public health questions, and for his exceptional ability to unite investigators of varied disciplines toward answering those questions. From 1991 until his retirement in 2016, Dr Grimm directed the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research, Hennepin Healthcare Research Foundation, and was Chief of the Division of Clinical Epidemiology at the Hennepin County Medical Center (now Hennepin Healthcare) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr Grimm was also a Professor of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and a Professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota.Dr Grimm grew up in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1968, followed by his MD in 1972, also from the University of Oklahoma. He performed his internship in Internal Medicine at Metropolitan Hospital, New York Medical College from 1972 through 1973, and was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at Duke University Medical Center, from 1973 through 1974. Dr Grimm completed his residency at Memorial Hospital in New York City and North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York from 1973 through 1975.In 1975, Dr Grimm joined the Laboratory of Physiological Hygiene at the University of Minnesota as a research fellow under Ancel Keyes, a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular research. Shortly afterwards, he began working on the landmark MRFIT (Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial)1 with Henry Blackburn, another preeminent cardiovascular researcher. During these formative years, he worked toward and received his MPH in 1978 and his PhD in 1984 at the University of Minnesota. Dr Grimm emerged during this time as an astute thinker, and his work on MRFIT eventually led to his leadership of other large, multicenter trials (Figure). Throughout the remainder of his career, he championed the power of large, randomized trials to address important public health questions and embraced the importance of collaborative research to complete them successfully.Download figureDownload PowerPointFigure. Richard H. Grimm, Jr, MD, PhD. Five decades of collaborative research in clinical trials.In the 1980s, Dr Grimm’s research on the treatment of hypertension expanded, and he collaborated and led clinical trials aimed at optimizing the treatment of high blood pressure through nutritional-hygienic approaches as well drug therapy, including the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program2 and the TOMHS (Treatment of Mild Hypertension Study).3 The TOMHS trial was groundbreaking in that it involved 6 treatment groups, and carefully navigated the complex collaboration of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) funding and pharmaceutical industry partnership, ultimately paving the way for the ALLHAT trial (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering to Prevent Heart Attack),4 which would follow.In 1991, Dr Grimm began his leadership of the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research, of the Hennepin Healthcare Research Foundation. This decade was fundamental in shaping our management of hypertension yet today, and highlighted by several large clinical trials including ALLHAT (Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering to Prevent Heart Attack Trial),4 ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes),5 CONVINCE (Controlled ONset Verpamil INvestigation of Cardiovascular Endpoints),6 and TROPHY (Trial of Preventing Hypertension.7 Over the next 25 years, the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research led, or served as regional center or recruitment site for these, and other trials for which Dr Grimm served on the executive committees. In addition to his work in hypertension during this time, he diversified the collaborative research portfolio of the Berman Center to include other landmark trials such as the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative),8 and studies focused on lipid lowering therapy for patients with chronic kidney disease9 and antiplatelet medication for stroke.10 This decade also included the initiation of the PILL (Programme to Improve Life and Longevity) trial,11 one of the first trials to test the Polypill concept. In the second decade of the millennium, recruitment began for the international ASPREE (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) trial,12 one of the most important and influential clinical trials conducted in older adults to date, where Dr Grimm would serve in his final clinical trial leadership role.Colleagues at his professional memorial on November 7, 2022 recalled Dr Grimm’s calm and easy going personality, and his ability to keep things lighthearted amidst the challenges and pressures of conducting large scale research involving thousands of participants. For colleagues fortunate enough to brainstorm research ideas with Dr Grimm, one never knew what was coming in advance, but to always expect the unexpected. Frequently the conversation would begin with “Got an idea…” It was sometimes outlined on one of the pieces of paper he picked up off the floor that would invariably fall out of his overstuffed briefcase, and there would always follow an engaging and vibrant discussion about these new ideas. Conversations with Dr Grimm often involved more than work, and frequent topics included the Gopher basketball team and the Twins—too often their poor records, but always hope for next year! This was balanced by up-beat conversations about the strong staff at the Berman Center, and his family, that he was extremely proud of.Dr Grimm sat on the editorial boards and served as reviewer for several prominent hypertension and cardiovascular-related journals. He published over 225 articles during his career in prestigious medical journals such as JAMA, Circulation, Hypertension, and The New England Journal of Medicine. He was an established investigator for the American Heart Association, a Fellow for the American Heart Association’s Council on Cardiovascular Epidemiology, and a Clinical Hypertension Specialist by the American Society of Hypertension. His many committee memberships included the American Heart Association (former President, Minnesota Affiliate, High Blood Pressure Council; Basic Science Council; Council on Epidemiology and Prevention); and the NIH (Past Chair - DSMB for the Omni-Heart Study; NHLBI Ad Hoc Reviewer). He was a Member of the Association of Black Cardiologists, and a Board Member of PACER (Parents Advocacy Coalition for Children with Disabilities).Dr Grimm is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jeanne Dowd Grimm, son Richard Grimm III of Minneapolis, Jeanne’s son, Max Ormond of Milwaukee WI, and their granddaughter Josephine Ormond of Milwaukee. He was preceded in death by Jeanne’s son, William Sterling Clark, whom he helped to raise.Collaborative research, especially at the scale that Dr Grimm was involved, takes a lot of time, patience, and persistence. He had lots of ideas and, importantly, he shared and invited collaboration with all who would listen, unencumbered by professional silos. This made him special among physician-scientists. From the beginning until the end of his illustrious career, Dr Grimm was never far from landmark clinical trials that had a major impact on public health. His career over 5 decades serves as an inspiration for all of us.Article InformationFootnotesCorrespondence to: Michael E. Ernst, Department of Family Medicine, Carver College of Medicine and Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Email [email protected]eduReferences1. Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group. Mortality after 10 ½ years for hypertensive participants in the multiple risk factor intervention trial.Circulation. 1990; 82:1616–1628. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.82.5.1616LinkGoogle Scholar2. Prevention of stroke by antihypertensive drug treatment in older persons with isolated systolic hypertension: final results of the systolic hypertension in the elderly program (SHEP).JAMA. 1991; 265:3255–3264. doi: 10.1001/jama.1991.03460240051027CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Neaton JD, Grimm RH, Prineas RJ, Stamler J, Grandits GA, Elmer PJ, Cutler JA, Flack JM, Schoenberger JA, McDonald R, et al. Treatment of mild hypertension study: final results.JAMA. 1993; 270:713–724. doi: 10.1001/jama.1993.03510060059034CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. The ALLHAT Officers and Coordinators for the ALLHAT Collaborative Research Group. Major outcomes in high-risk hypertensive patients randomized to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or calcium channel blocker vs diuretic: the antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment to prevent heart attack trial (ALLHAT).JAMA. 2002; 288:2981–2997. doi: 10.1001/jama.288.23.2981CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. The ACCORD Study Group. Effects of intensive blood-pressure control in type 2 diabetes mellitus.N Engl J Med. 2010; 362:1575–1585. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1001286CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Black HR, Elliott WJ, Grandits G, Grambsch P, Lucente T, White WB, Neaton JD, Grimm RH, Hansson L, et al. Principal results of the controlled onset verapamil investigation of cardiovascular end points (CONVINCE) trial.JAMA. 2003; 289:2073–2082. doi: 10.1001/jama.289.16.2073CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Julius S, Nesbitt SD, Egan BM, Weber MA, Michelson EL, Kaciroti N, Black HR, Grimm RH, Messerli FH, Oparil S, et al. Trial of preventing hypertension (TROPHY) study investigators. Feasibility of treating prehypertension with an angiotensin-receptor blocker.N Engl J Med. 2006; 354:1685–1697. doi: 10.1056/nejmoa060838CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Writing Group for the Women’s Health Initiative Investigators. Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results from the Women’s Health Initiative randomized controlled trial.JAMA. 2002; 288:321–333. doi: 10.1001/jama.288.3.321CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. SHARP Collaborative Group. Study of heart and renal protection (SHARP): randomized trial to assess the effects of lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol among 9,438 patients with chronic kidney disease.Am Heart J. 2010; 160:785–794. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2010.08.012CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. The SPS3 Investigators. Effects of clopidogrel added to aspirin in patients with recent lacunar stroke.N Engl J Med. 2012; 367:817–825. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1204133CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. Collaborative Group PILL, Rodgers A, Patel A, Berwanger O, Bots M, Grimm R, Grobbee DE, Jackson R, Neal B, Neaton J, et al. An international randomised placebo-controlled trial of a four-component combination pill (“polypill”) in people with raised cardiovascular risk.PLoS One. 2011; 6:e19857. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019857CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. McNeil JJ, Woods RL, Nelson MR, Reid CM, Kirpach B, Wolfe R, Storey E, Shah RC, Lockery JE, Tonkin AM, et al; ASPREE Investigator Group. Effects of aspirin on disability-free survival in the healthy elderly.N Engl J Med. 2018; 379:1499–1508. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1800722CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails March 2023Vol 80, Issue 3 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2023 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.20795PMID: 36791220 Manuscript receivedDecember 14, 2022Manuscript acceptedDecember 16, 2022Originally publishedFebruary 15, 2023 PDF download Advertisement