American Heart Association Inc

Science and technology the american heart association funds scientific studies seeking new discoveries related to causes, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Since our founding in 1924, we've invested more than $5.9 billion in research, making us the largest private, not-for-profit funder of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research. Research spending for fiscal-year 2023/24 was $227 million, or 19%, and research awards for the year totaled $197 million. Science and technology continued - to accelerate strategic investment in science and technology and spur innovation, the association announced aha ventures, an umbrella investment unit within its mission-aligned business area. - the association announced a $75 million go red for women venture fund to invest in companies that serve women's health needs across their lifespan. The fund is seeded with $40 million from the association and supported by a $15 million cornerstone gift from philanthropist sarah ross soter. - the association funded $20 million for a new health equity research network on improving access to care and other health inequities in rural america. - more than 100 scientists from across the u.s. Received grants totaling $20 million to support their research on heart disease and stroke as part of the second century of science initiative. - researchers at northwestern university feinberg school of medicine, new york university and duke university collaborated to assess the association's preventtm risk calculator, a new app clinicians use to help people understand their likelihood of developing heart disease, stroke or heart failure based on specific health measures. - the association, the alliance of bioversity and ciat with support from the rockefeller foundation and other funders launched markerlab, the first phase of the periodic table of food initiative to collect data on the biomolecular composition of foods consumed globally and their impact on human and planetary health. - the association awarded the first grants totaling $7.8 million to 19 research projects nationwide as part of its newly named health care by food initiative. Led by experts in food and nutrition, behavioral science, epidemiology and cardiovascular health, the research projects will pilot ways to equitably increase enrollment and engagement in food is medicine interventions. - the american heart association center for health technology & innovation and medtech innovator established the heart and brain health accelerator to identify, evaluate and mentor start-up companies with novel technology for preventing, diagnosing and treating heart and brain-related conditions. - the association's lp(a) discovery project, supported by an investment of $2.7 million from novartis, got underway to determine clinical standards for treating patients with high lp(a) levels, which is a risk factor for atherosclerosis. - the association awarded $2.1 million in grants for seven new research projects exploring "migraine as a risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease." - the ralph l. Sacco scholarships in brain health program began its annual awarding of two $150,000 scholarships to early career trainees pursuing a two-year research or public health service project focused on prevention of brain disease and/or maintenance of brain health. - with funding from the doris duke foundation, the association awarded four new scientific research grants to evaluate how race, considered a social rather than a biological construct, affects health risk prediction as a variable in algorithms.

Professional education research, advances in medicine, and guidelines for best practices are most useful when made available to scientists and healthcare professionals. The aha hosted more than a dozen scientific conferences including scientific sessions and the international stroke conference, as well as meetings focused on specialty areas. Each offered continuing medical education (cme) credits, which are also available through aha online learning programs. Professional education continued - the american heart association center for telehealth announced a new certification for health care professionals designed to standardize training and increase skills and competencies in telehealth stroke care delivery. The certification is supported by the leona m. And harry b. Helmsley charitable trust and available through the association's professional education hub. - new guidelines from the association and the american college of cardiology provide the latest, evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and peripheral artery disease. New guidelines stress timely diagnosis and coordinated care from a multispecialty team to help prevent amputation and other cardiovascular complications. - the association expanded its post-acute care suite of certification programs to include skilled nursing facility stroke rehabilitation certification. Made possible by the leona m. And harry b. Helmsley charitable trust post-acute stroke care funding initiative, the program establishes a framework for evaluating facilities based on the association's scientific guidelines for stroke rehabilitation patients. - the association in collaboration with the deloitte health equity institute and the society for human resource management foundation created the health equity in the workforce employer resource guide with actionable strategies, economic insights and guidance on measuring progress. - abbott awarded $3 million to support the association's heart failure education initiative, to inform general cardiologists on treatment options beyond guideline-directed medical therapy for eligible heart failure patients, and to understand and amplify models for referral to best-in-class patient care.

Community services - the association and delta dental debuted healthy smiles, healthy hearts to educate patients and clinicians on the connection between heart health and oral health and expand patients' access to equitable, integrated care. - truist granted $3 million to support the association's heartcorps program, aimed at growing the pipeline of public health workers in rural communities nationwide by placing professionals at host sites to provide resources and care to patients living with hypertension, diabetes, nutrition insecurity and more. - merck, through its merck for mothers initiative, awarded $2 million to support the expansion of the association's advancing maternal health equity project to improve postpartum systems of care related to cardiovascular health and expand professional education and training opportunities. - to help students meet physical activity guidelines for americans, stay healthy and perform their best in the classroom, the association funded grants to 64 elementary, middle and high schools to enhance their wellness programs. - engaging individuals from diverse populations to inform the research process was the impetus for the health equity research network (hern), co-funded by the association and the robert wood johnson foundation. Research institutions and community-based organizations will form partner hubs responsible for research question development, design, data collection, analyses and sharing results in relatable ways with communities most affected by health disparities. - the association co-sponsored the world heart federation's first world congress on rheumatic heart disease, which convened researchers, practitioners, patients and advocates to address disease impact in low- to moderate-income countries of sub-saharan africa, the middle east and the western pacific. - during the 88th annual scientific meeting of the japanese circulation society, the association joined other u.s. And asia-pacific cardiology associations to strategize global collaboration to improve cardiovascular systems of care, accelerate clinical research and develop tomorrow's cardiovascular leaders. - to support community-led solutions to social factors negatively impacting health in the bay area, the association allocated $1.1 million to the six nonprofit enterprises with contributions from kaiser permanente and the anne wojcicki foundation. With this cycle of funding, the association's bernard j. Tyson impact fund has invested a collective $2.48 million across the bay area. Public advocacy - association advocacy secured, funded or defended more than 200 public health policies, including 189 at the state and community levels. - health insurance coverage under the affordable care act (aca) or medicaid reached a record 45 million signups, making health care available to millions of previously uninsured and under-insured individuals and protecting patients with preexisting conditions from being denied coverage. This milestone follows nearly 15 years of association advocacy to uphold the aca. - association advocacy led to 40 states, including washington, d.c. Expanding medicaid eligibility to individuals and families with low incomes, exponentially increasing health care access for millions of people. - more than 200 grassroots advocates met on capitol hill to urge lawmakers to support the access to aeds act and the cardiomyopathy health, education, awareness, research and training in schools (hearts) act. Both bills would enable schools to develop cardiac emergency response plans, purchase aeds and related equipment, and provide cpr and aed training to students and staff. - the association joined national advocacy organizations on capitol hill for the rally for medical research, calling on congressional members to increase funding for the national institutes of health. - addressing the social and economic injustices that deepen health disparities topped the agenda of the 2023 state of black health conference in san juan, puerto rico. The association co-sponsored the event. - point-of-sale messages warning of the deadly consequences of smoking cigarettes were posted at approximately 220,000 retail stores across the nation under a federal court order. The signs implement corrective statements tobacco companies were ordered to make in 2006, when a district judge ruled that they had deceived the public about the health hazards of smoking for 50 years. - the united states department of agriculture released a final rule capping added sugars in school meals for the first time ever - a major stride in helping children achieve a more nutritious diet and better health. - california governor gavin newsom signed senate bill 348 into law, making his state the first to adopt new federal nutrition guidelines for reducing added salt and sugar in school meals. The association was among several organizations that sponsored the bill.