Statement Highlights: High cholesterol, at any age, can increase a person’s lifetime risk for heart disease and stroke. A healthy lifestyle is the first step in prevention and treatment to lower that risk. The 2018 guidelines recommend more detailed risk assessments to help health care providers better determine a person’s individualized risk and treatment options. In some cases, a coronary artery calcium score can help determine a person’s need for cholesterol-lowering treatment, if their risk status is uncertain or if the treatment decision isn't clear.

Focused Update Highlights: Newer anticoagulants, known as non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs), are recommended over the traditional warfarin to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib). Weight loss is recommended for overweight or obese people with AFib.

Statement Highlights: New developments in identifying and treating the increased risk of premature heart disease in children and teens with certain medical conditions associated with increased cardiovascular risk are discussed in a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Obesity and severe obesity are now considered significant risk factors for an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in children and teens.

Statement highlights: Oscillometric devices, which use an electronic pressure sensor within the blood pressure cuff, can reduce human error and the risk to the environment from older devices which use mercury. Patients who measure their blood pressure at home should use a device with an upper arm cuff that has been checked for accuracy by a healthcare provider.

Statement Highlights: In a new scientific statement, the American Heart Association supports the creation of specialized multidisciplinary clinical programs that combine cardiovascular medicine and genetics expertise. These specialized programs would use genetic information to better treat patients with inherited heart conditions, as well as assess family members without current heart problems and take steps to reduce their risk.

Statement Highlights: People living with HIV face a higher risk of developing diseases of the heart and blood vessels compared to people without the disease. Seventy-five percent of people living with HIV are over age 45 and face significant health challenges at earlier ages than people who don’t have HIV.

People with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk for heart failure and many people have both diseases, which requires careful medical management.

Statement Highlights: While significant improvements have been made in resuscitation and post cardiac arrest resuscitation care, mortality remains high and is mainly attributed to widespread brain injury.Better science is needed to support the ...

Statement Highlights: Geriatric conditions such as frailty, cognitive impairment, taking multiple medications and having multiple medical conditions complicate care for older people with acute cardiovascular diseases. Most research on how to treat...

Statement Highlights: Fulminant myocarditis develops quickly and can prove fatal without early recognition and advanced medical therapy. A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association details the resources needed to diagnose and treat...

Embargoed until 8 a.m. CT/9 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 17, 2020   DALLAS, Tuesday, March 17, 2020 – As the global impact of COVID-19 rises, the scientific community continues to evaluate the clinical impact and health care needs of patients with...

Embargoed until 8 a.m. CT/9 a.m. ET Tuesday, March 17, 2020                                                                                                                    DALLAS, March 17, 2020 — The American Heart Association and its thousands of ...

DALLAS, March 20, 2020 — As hospitals, health professionals and healthcare systems, governments and leaders work to reduce community spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. and protect the most vulnerable individuals, the American Heart Association offers...

DALLAS, March 24, 2020 — As part of its global response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health and research, is committing  $2.5 million to research...

DALLAS, April 2, 2020 – The American Heart Association — the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to a world of longer, healthier lives — announced today more than $14 million in scientific research grants are being awarded to four...

AHA COVID-19 newsroom   DALLAS, April 3, 2020 — COVID-19 is prompting widespread questions and concerns about the heightened risk for those with heart disease and stroke survivors.   The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit...

Research Highlights: Hypertensive pregnancy disorders, especially preeclampsia – may increase the risk of psychological development disorders and behavioral and emotional disorders in children. This is the first study to show that preeclampsia...

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 17, 2020 – By issuing a final rule requiring large, graphic health warnings on cigarette packs and advertising, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today has taken a critical and long-overdue step forward in the nation’s battle...

Washington, D.C.—March 20, 2020—Patient groups representing millions of people with serious health conditions are urging a U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reject a federal rule expanding the availability of short-term limited-duration...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 23) —The organizations highlighted below express thanks to the Senate for taking the first step in recognizing nonprofits in its proposed relief package. However, we believe Congress needs to take further actions to ensure our...

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26, 2020 — Following days of heated marathon negotiations, the Senate approved the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the largest emergency aid package in U.S. history. The CARES Act includes more than $2...

  WASHINGTON, D.C., March 30, 2020 — As longstanding organizations representing and supporting those on the front lines who are risking their lives caring for the world’s most vulnerable patients, we stand united in voicing our concern over the ...

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 1, 2020 – 28 patient and consumer groups representing millions of people nationwide with pre-existing health conditions issued the following statement regarding the administration’s decision not to initiate a special enrollment...

WASHINGTON, D.C., 1 de abril del 2020 – 28 grupos de pacientes y consumidores que representan a millones de personas en todo el país con afecciones de salud preexistentes emitieron la siguiente declaración sobre la decision de la administración de no...

AHA COVID-19 newsroom DALLAS, April 10, 2020 — Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health, joined the chief executives of other leading national public...

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 14, 2020 — Yesterday, a federal district court struck down a rule by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that rolled back nutrition standards in schools.   Last fall, The American Heart Association, the world’s leading...

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule that threatens to undermine the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. The American Lung Association, Allergy & Asthma Network, Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, American...

DALLAS, April 22, 2020 — Reports from the front lines of hospitals indicate a marked drop in the number of heart attacks and strokes nationally. But, COVID-19 is definitely not stopping people from having heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrests. We ...

Statement Highlights:  The projected annual cost of preventable hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE) is $7 billion to $10 billion per year. Most estimates place the US annual incidence of diagnosed VTE in adults at 1 to 2 per 1000 per...

Sala de prensa de la AHA sobre el COVID-19 Atención con el contenido actualizado a continuación. DALLAS, 9 de abril del 2020– Debido al aumento exponencial actual de la incidencia del COVID-19 en todo el mundo, el porcentaje de paros cardíacos con el...

DALLAS, 14 de abril del 2020. La American Heart Association ha extendido la fecha límite para solicitudes de becas individuales y becas escolares ofrecidas a través del Kids Heart Challenge y el American Heart Challenge hasta el 30 de junio. Debido a que...

Research Highlights: People who reported work-related stress were more likely to be hospitalized for treatment of peripheral artery disease compared to those who did not report work-related stress. Work-related stress, or job strain, refers to...

Research Highlights: Upward income mobility is associated with a trade-off between well-being and cardiometabolic health. Reaching a higher income status is not always beneficial for cardiometabolic health, even if it improves economic standing and...

Statements Highlights: Adverse social factors, such as insurance status, food insecurity, lack of funds for medication and others, may lead to worse heart failure outcomes. Caregiving by family and friends of people with heart failure is increasingly...

Circulation Journal Report AHA COVID-19 Newsroom   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Saturday, May 2, 2020   DALLAS, May 2, 2020 — American Heart Association volunteer experts issued Temporary Emergency Guidance to STEMI Systems of Care...

AHA COVID-19 newsroom     DALLAS, May 4, 2020 — The American Heart Association, together with 14 cardiovascular societies in North America, today issued joint guidance, “Safe Reintroduction of Cardiovascular Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic:...

Research Highlights: Using genetic analysis, researchers found higher alcohol consumption increased risks for stroke and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Studies using genetic analysis don’t rely on observational data, which often use self-reported...

Research Highlights: Teens who have obesity, type 2 diabetes or high systolic blood pressure show greater signs of blood vessel aging compared to healthy, normal weight teens. Thicker and stiffer blood vessels were more likely among teens that had...

Research Highlights: Mechanical clot removal alone may be as effective as combining it with intravenous (IV) clot-busting medications for stroke patients.    Mechanical clot removal alone reduced the risk of brain bleeding in this Japanese...

Research Highlights: A robot was used to treat brain aneurysms for the first time. The robotic system could eventually allow remote surgery, enabling surgeons to treat strokes from afar. Embargoed until 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time / 2:15 p.m. Eastern ...

Research Highlights: People who had the best heart health, defined as having healthy sleep in addition to meeting the AHA Life Simple 7, were less likely to have a diagnosis of a heart disease and were less likely to develop heart disease in the ...

Research Highlights: Black immigrants from Africa and from the Caribbean differ from U.S.-born blacks in rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and overweight/obesity. The research supports a more detailed look at black populations and the...

Research Highlights: Consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil daily was associated with a 15% lower risk of having any type of cardiovascular disease and a 21% lower risk of having coronary heart disease. Replacing one teaspoon of butter, ...

Research Highlights: The PCORnet Blood Pressure Control Laboratory, a new collaborative partnership, analyzed electronic health record data from nearly 1.5 million patients including almost 6 million ambulatory visits with blood pressure measures. ...

Research Highlights: People with recent heart attacks have significantly higher activity in a brain area (the amygdala) involved in stress perception and emotional response. They also have more inflammation in key arteries and increased bone marrow ...