American Heart Association (AHA)

The American Heart Association (AHA) funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. The AHA also is a key resource for the latest cardiology science through its journals and annual meeting.

American Heart Association program leads to substantial improvements in stroke care
Cardiologist Gregg Fonarow, MD, reviewed decades of data and discussed the long-term impact of the AHA's Get With The Guidelines-Stroke program.
AHA still working to find more patients with severe aortic stenosis who may require care
The initiative is designed to help identify more patients who may require aortic valve replacement. Brian Lindman, MD, provided an update on the project's efforts.
Is statin therapy safe for pregnant women?
Laxmi Mehta, MD, explained that the use of statins when treating pregnant women is no longer forbidden. However, she added, cardiologists should always discuss it first with their patients.
New drug shows early potential to treat aortic stenosis in some patients without TAVR, SAVR
The drug in question, ataciguat, could help heart patients avoid aortic valve replacement—or at least put it off until later in life.
How to address cardiologist burnout
Laxmi Mehta, MD, detailed several ways she and her colleagues at The Ohio State University are working to combat the rising levels of burnout among cardiologists.

Bypass surgery the best way to limit amputations, death among CLTI patients

Researchers examined data from more than 1,800 CLTI patients, comparing bypass surgery with minimally invasive treatment options such as angioplasty and stenting.

Fish oil, garlic and other ‘heart-healthy’ dietary supplements do not improve cholesterol levels

The new analysis was presented at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2022 conference and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

ECMO unit in service at Banner Medical Center in Phoenix.

Early use of ECMO fails to improve cardiogenic shock outcomes, surprising cardiologists

"We expected to see a significant improvement in outcomes for patients with severe or rapidly progressing cardiogenic shock who underwent early ECMO treatment," one specialist said.

AI-powered CCTA outperforms usual care when evaluating stable chest pain

The new study, presented at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2022 conference in Chicago, focused on data from more than 2,000 patients.

5 key takeaways from new ACC/AHA aortic disease guidelines

The new guidance, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, covers a variety of topics, including thoracic aortic disease, peripheral artery disease, shared decision-making and cardiac imaging.

David Bennett with two of his physical therapists at the University of Maryland Medical Center

ECG data from historic pig heart transplant surprise electrophysiologists

“This was a true milestone for research on xenotransplantation," one specialist said. The full analysis is scheduled to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2022 in Chicago.

Heart disease-related deaths increased due to COVID-19, undoing a decade of progress

American Heart Association President Michelle A. Albert, MD, urged physicians to seek out patients who may have not received medical care since the start of the pandemic. These patients could face an increased risk of cardiac complications.

A team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in Hong Kong has performed the first successful undermining iatrogenic coronary obstruction with radiofrequency needle procedure—or UNICORN for short—on a high-risk valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patient. The group wrote about their experience in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, a journal launched and distributed by the American Heart Association.

Cardiologists make history, perform first UNICORN procedure during valve-in-valve TAVR

BASILICA was considered for the 67-year-old female patient, but UNICORN was seen as an overall better option. The full case study was published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

American Heart Association (AHA)

American Heart Association program leads to substantial improvements in stroke care

AHA still working to find more patients with severe aortic stenosis who may require care

Is statin therapy safe for pregnant women?

New drug shows early potential to treat aortic stenosis in some patients without TAVR, SAVR

How to address cardiologist burnout