The American Heart Association (AHA) is a voluntary health organization founded in 1924 with the mission to fight heart disease and stroke. It pursues this goal through three primary avenues: funding medical research, promoting public education, and advancing quality care initiatives. The organization has invested more than $6 billion in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research since its inception.
Headquartered in the United States, the AHA operates with a staff of over 3,300 employees. Its reach extends through a vast network of more than 35 million volunteers and supporters. Among its key programs, the association provides CPR training to approximately 22 million people annually and manages quality care initiatives that serve over 19 million patients with high blood pressure.
The organization's work is cited as contributing to a reduction of cardiovascular disease deaths by half since its founding. Originally established as a professional society for physicians, the AHA has evolved into a major force in public health advocacy, driven by its core commitment to fostering longer, healthier lives.