The American Heart Association announced $3.4 million in grants to fund two multidisciplinary research teams aimed at advancing scientific understanding of cardiac arrest, with the goal of improving survival rates and quality of life for survivors. This initiative establishes the Cardiac Arrest Research Team (CART) Network, a collaboration between the American Heart Association and Heart & Stroke™, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, to accelerate scientific discoveries and translate findings into practice.
More than 600,000 cardiac arrests occur annually in the U.S., with low survival rates both in and out of hospitals. The grants support two teams focusing on different aspects of cardiac arrest care. The first team, led by Joshua Lupton, M.D., M.P.H., M.Phil., of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), will investigate defibrillator pad placement and timing of shocks using AI, as well as best practices for survivor support and peer programs. The second team, led by Ari Moskowitz, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, will compare two blood pressure medications used after cardiac arrest to improve brain and organ recovery, aiming to standardize treatment across hospitals.
Both teams will work closely with survivors and families to incorporate lived experiences into research. Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, emphasized the urgency: “Cardiac arrest is a profound and tragic occurrence and we know seconds matter in making sure people get the right life-saving treatment at the right time.” The four-year grants begin July 1, 2026, and align with the Association’s Emergency Cardiovascular Care 2030 Impact Goals to double survival rates.
The American Heart Association has funded over $6.1 billion in cardiovascular research since 1949, making it the largest non-profit supporter of heart and brain health research. According to a recent Annenberg Policy Center poll, 82% of U.S. adults trust the Association for public health information. For more details on the research teams and the CART Network, visit heart.org.
