American Heart Association-Stroke Association

Find and Give Support

It's important to have emotional support during your recovery.

Meet others like you and share your story. It's free and easy.

Join our Support Network today!

Interactive High Blood Pressure Guide

Find videos, quizzes, trackers and more with our interactive high blood pressure guide.

Get started!

My AFib Experience

A unique online community for people living with AFib

An atrial fibrillation diagnosis can create feelings of loneliness, isolation and confusion. Connect with others like you.

Explore our community today.

Interactive Cholesterol Guide

You’ll feel empowered to manage your cholesterol.

Learn about risk factors, treatment and measurement of cholesterol, along with helpful tips for daily living.

Get started!

Know Your Stroke Risks From Atrial Fibrillation

Explore our interactive guide to help you live your longest and healthiest life.

Visit our guide now.

Warning Signs

Know the heart attack and stroke warning signs.

Learn More

Help Save Lives Today

Join in the fight against the nation's #1 and #4 killers – heart disease and stroke.

Donate Now

Our Mission

Our mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. That single purpose drives all we do. The need for our work is beyond question. We invite you to help us achieve our 2020 Impact Goal: By 2020, to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent.

The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization. Its purpose is to help prevent America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers, heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association advocates to protect public health and promote positive behaviors, nutritious eating habits and healthy lifestyles. It also funds cutting-edge research as well as professional education programs.

Activity

American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
How is peripheral artery disease (PAD) treated?

Most people with PAD can be treated with lifestyle changes, medicines or both. Lifestyle changes to lower your risk include:
- stop smoking (smokers are 2 to 25 times more likely to get PAD and experience symptoms of PAD 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.)
- control diabetes
- control blood pressure...Read More

4 Days Ago
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What is it called when my heart valve does not open properly?

Stenosis is the term for a heart valve that does not open properly. When the valve is working properly, it opens fully to allow all the needed blood to flow through. When a patient has aortic stenosis, the valve does not open all the way so less blood flows through the valve. As a result, the body...Read More

4 Days Ago
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What is an intraaortic balloon pump?

An intraaortic balloon pump is a device used in treating severe failure of the left lower heart chamber (left ventricle). The device essentially assists the left ventricle to pump, which increases cardiac output. This helps relieve pulmonary congestion and heart failure. Read More

7 Days Ago
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association has posted a blog entry:

Sept is AFib Awareness Month
7 Days Ago Atrial fibrillation greatly increases your chances of having a stroke. Learn more about this condition and read our FAQs.
LIKE

James Miller and Lauren Champion like this.
American Heart Association-Stroke Association has posted a blog entry:

New program helps Americans add more color to their plates
7 Days Ago Coloring the plate every day with one more cup of fruits and vegetables is the rallying cry of +color, a new American Heart Association initiative...Full Post
LIKE

James Miller like this.
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
Why am I so tired after my stroke?

After a stroke, almost all stroke survivors feel tired at some point. Stroke survivors often must work harder to compensate for the loss of normal functions (such as being unable to use an arm or hand). But you’ll probably start feeling less tired after a few months. For some people, tiredness may...Read More

On Sep 19
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What are swallowing disorders (dysphagia)?

Dysphagia is difficulty chewing and swallowing food. It occurs when one side of the mouth or throat is weak due to stroke or other brain injury. One or both sides of the mouth can lack feeling, increasing the risk of choking. Read More

On Sep 19
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What is a coronary artery bypass graft?

Coronary artery bypass graft, often referred to by its initials CABG or as coronary bypass surgery or simply bypass surgery, is a surgical procedure used to reroute the blood supply around a blocked section of a coronary artery. Surgeons remove healthy blood vessels from another part of the body,...Read More

On Sep 19
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association has posted a blog entry:

Healthy Eating Away From Home
On Sep 16 Eating out doesn’t have to be a health dilemma. Many restaurants offer tasty meals that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars.
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association has posted a blog entry:

Is this really happening?
On Sep 16 One woman's post-pregnancy heart attack.
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What is peripheral vascular disease (PVD)?

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) refers to diseases of blood vessels outside the heart and brain. It's often a narrowing of vessels that carry blood to the legs, arms, stomach, or kidneys.
There are two types of these circulation disorders:

Functional peripheral vascular diseases don't have an organic cause. That means
...Read More
On Sep 15
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What foods can help lower cholesterol?

Focus on low-saturated-fat, trans fat-free, low-cholesterol foods such as these:

A variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables (4 to 5 servings of each per day)

A variety of fiber-rich grain products like whole grain bread, cereal, pasta, and brown rice. (6 to 8 servings per day, make at
...Read More
On Sep 15
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association was mentioned in a slideshow:
Nursing Activities That Do (and Don’t) Count as Exercise
On Sep 14
Find out which nursing activities can help slim your waistline.
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
How do doctors treat ischemic strokes?

Drugs and acute hospital care are all accepted ways to treat an ischemic stroke. The only FDA approved drug to treat an ischemic stroke (caused because of a blocked blood vessel) is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot busting drug. tPA must be given within 4.5 hours of when the stroke begins. It...Read More

On Sep 12
LIKE
American Heart Association-Stroke Association answered:
What is nonproliferative retinopathy?

Retinopathy is damage to small blood vessels in the retina. Retinopathy may occur as the result of diabetes and may result in blindness. Read More

On Sep 12
LIKE