American Heart Association

Who We Are

The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest, largest voluntary organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular diseases and stroke.Founded by six cardiologists in 1924, our organization now includes more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters working tirelessly to eliminate these diseases. We fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to save and improve lives.

What We Do

To improve the lives of all Americans, we provide public health education in a variety of ways.

We’re the nation’s leader in CPR education training. We help people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. We provide science-based treatment guidelines to healthcare professionals to help ensure the best treatment for every patient, every time. We educate lawmakers, policy makers and the public as we advocate for changes to protect and improve the health of our communities.

Our volunteer experts select scientific research most worthy of funding – with great results. We have funded more than $3.5 billion in research since 1949, more than any organization outside the federal government. We have funded 13 Nobel Prize winners and lifesaving advancements such as the first artificial heart valve, cholesterol-inhibiting drugs, heart transplant capabilities, and CPR techniques and guidelines.

Why We're Needed

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. Stroke ranks fourth and is a leading cause of severe adult disability.

Each year, these diseases kill more than 811,000 Americans, which is roughly the same as the entire population of El Paso, Texas; Baton Rouge, La.; or Tacoma, Wash.

Some form of cardiovascular disease affects more than one in every three adult Americans. Many suffer terribly from disabilities caused by these diseases.

Our 2020 Goal

We are working toward improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent, and reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent, all by the year 2020.

Our programs, educational resources and advocacy initiatives are all targeted at helping people identify and adopt healthier lifestyles.

To assess your cardiovascular health, all you need to do is visit MyLifeCheck.org and answer a few questions. You will learn about modest changes that could make major differences.

For more information, visit heart.org or call 1-800-AHA-USA1