The American Heart Association announced $3.4 million in grants for two teams of scientists to lead a new research initiative focused on scientific advances related to cardiac arrest. More than 600,000 cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. each year, and survival rates remain low both in and out of the hospital setting, according to the Association. 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, bringing together teams from both countries to share expertise and accelerate scientific discoveries.
One team, led by Joshua Lupton, M.D., M.P.H., M.Phil., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and a cardiac arrest survivor himself, will focus on improving care from emergency treatment through recovery. The study will test the effectiveness of different defibrillator pad placements to help the heart restart faster, a change that costs nothing and requires little training. Researchers will also use artificial intelligence to analyze timing between shocks, examining data from emergency heart monitors to improve survival rates. Additionally, the team will work with survivors and families to identify best practices for support and resources, including peer-support programs. The 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 the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System in New York, will investigate ways to improve brain and organ function affected by low blood pressure during cardiac arrest. The VICTORY-CART study will compare two commonly used blood pressure medicines after cardiac arrest to determine which leads to better survival and recovery. Researchers will examine how these medicines are used across different hospital settings and among clinicians, aiming to ensure more effective and consistent treatment. The study will establish a learning health system framework to generate real-world evidence that can rapidly inform post–cardiac arrest care.
Both teams will collaborate with scientists from Canadian teams and work closely with people who have lived experience with cardiac arrest, including survivors, family members, and those who lost loved ones. According to Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, “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. This initiative is unique and exciting in many ways, from the multinational collaborative to the incorporation of experiences and understandings from people who have been directly impacted.”
The four-year research grants begin on July 1, 2026. Funding scientific research is a cornerstone of the American Heart Association’s mission; the Association has funded more than $6.1 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research since 1949, making it the largest non-profit, non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the U.S.
