The American Heart Association announced $3.4 million in grants for two research teams to lead a new initiative focused on scientific advances related to cardiac arrest. More than 600,000 cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. each year, with low survival rates both in and out of hospital settings, according to the Association. This initiative establishes the Cardiac Arrest Research Team (CART) Network, a collaboration with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada to accelerate scientific discoveries and improve survival and outcomes.
One team, led by Joshua Lupton, M.D., M.P.H., M.Phil., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine and a cardiac arrest survivor himself, will focus on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The team will study defibrillator pad placement to determine if one position helps the heart restart faster, a change that costs nothing and requires little training. They will also use artificial intelligence to analyze timing between shocks, leveraging data from emergency heart monitors. Additionally, the team will work with survivors and families to identify best practices for support and resources, including peer-support programs. Collaborators include Mohamud Daya, M.D., M.S., and Matthew Neth, M.D., both of OHSU, and Ankur A. Doshi, M.D., FAHA, of the University of Pittsburgh.
The second team, led by Ari Moskowitz, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, an associate professor of critical care medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System in New York, will investigate vasopressor strategies to improve brain and organ function after cardiac arrest. The VICTORY-CART team will compare two commonly used blood pressure medicines to determine which leads to better survival and recovery. They will examine how these medicines are used across different hospital settings and among clinicians, aiming to ensure more effective and consistent treatment. Collaborators include Sachin Agarwal, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, of Columbia University, Katherine Berg, M.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Stephanie DeMasi, M.D., of Vanderbilt University, and Nicholas Johnson, M.D., FAHA, of the University of Washington.
Both teams will collaborate with Canadian scientists and incorporate insights from individuals with lived experience of cardiac arrest, including survivors and family members. Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, '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 cardiac arrest survival rates within five years.
Since 1949, the American Heart Association has funded more than $6.1 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health research, making it the largest non-profit, non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S. A recent Annenberg Policy Center poll found that 82% of U.S. adults trust the Association for trustworthy public health information.
For more information, visit heart.org or stroke.org.
