The American Heart Association announced $3.4 million in grants to establish the Cardiac Arrest Research Team (CART) Network, a collaboration with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, to fund two pioneering studies focused on improving cardiac arrest outcomes. With more than 600,000 cardiac arrests occurring annually in the U.S. and low survival rates, this initiative aims to accelerate scientific discoveries and translate findings into practice.
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) and a cardiac arrest survivor himself, will study out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care from emergency treatment through recovery. The researchers will examine how emergency responders administer defibrillator shocks, testing different pad placements to see if one position helps restart the heart faster. They will also use artificial intelligence to analyze whether varying intervals between shocks improve survival, leveraging data from emergency heart monitors. Additionally, the team will work with survivors and families to identify best practices for post-arrest support, including peer-support programs. This project aims to build a shared research network involving hospitals, emergency responders, scientists, and survivors.
The second team, led by Ari Moskowitz, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, an associate professor of critical care medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System in New York, will focus on improving brain and organ function after cardiac arrest by comparing two commonly used blood pressure medications. The Vasopressor Strategy in Cardiac Arrest to Optimize Recovery (VICTORY-CART) team will investigate how these medicines are used across different hospitals and by various clinicians, aiming to create a learning health system framework that generates real-world evidence to rapidly improve post-arrest care.
Both teams will collaborate with Canadian scientists and incorporate perspectives from survivors, family members, and those who have lost loved ones to cardiac arrest. Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, emphasized the importance of the initiative: '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 grants are part of the Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care 2030 Impact Goals, which seek to double cardiac arrest survival rates within five years.
The four-year research grants begin July 1, 2026. The American Heart Association has funded more than $6.1 billion in cardiovascular research since 1949, making it the largest non-profit supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S. According to a recent Annenberg Policy Center poll, 82% of U.S. adults trust the Association for reliable public health information.
