New targeted AHA research program: Cardiovascular Care and Outcomes.

As noted in my Presidential Address at the 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease and stroke remain the No. 1 and No. 3 causes of death, respectively, of all Americans. This is due in part to a gap that exists between effective interventions in clinical trials to improve patient care and outcomes and daily practice of healthcare professionals as well as daily behavior of patients and the public. To increase its contribution to the AHA’s mission, which is to reduce morbidity and mortality due to heart disease and stroke, the AHA research program continues to support talented researchers who are advancing our knowledge about genetics, as well as meritorious behavioral and clinical research reviewed through the Behavioral Science, Epidemiology, and Prevention Study Group created 5 years ago. The AHA has recently undergone dramatic changes in organizational structure and processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness in meeting its mission. These changes have led to the development of more highly focused efforts in communications, public advocacy, fund-raising, and education to leverage AHA’s resources as the leading nongovernment agency fighting heart disease and stroke. Another topic discussed in my President’s Address was the importance of establishing science priorities and developing effective strategies for achieving goals related to the AHA’s mission. The AHA must consider the full spectrum of science, from investigations of mechanisms with the basic sciences studied in the laboratory, to investigations of therapies with the clinical sciences studied in healthcare settings, to investigations of prevention with the social and behavioral sciences studied in communities. In addition to continuing to support the most meritorious basic science research, the AHA also must support research that responds more directly to the needs of patients with heart disease or stroke and their families. In responding to the challenge of establishing research priorities in clinical and behavioral medicine, AHA science volunteers have developed, with the generous financial contributions of the AHA Pharmaceutical Roundtable members, a new targeted research program entitled Cardiovascular Care and Outcomes Research. The need for care and outcomes research, including access to quality care, coordinated delivery of health care, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, informed choices by patients, patient adherence, and health promotion at the individual, group, and community levels is reflected in AHA scientific and policy statements, including: