Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) today announced its founding sponsorship of the American Heart Association’s Heart Valve Initiative, a national effort to improve care and outcomes for the more than 28 million people living with heart valve disease worldwide. In the U.S. alone, valve disease contributes to more than 60,000 deaths annually, many driven by delayed diagnosis or treatment.
Through this initiative, the American Heart Association is establishing valve disease as a critical focus area for the organization and aligning patient education, clinician training, systems of care and quality improvement to drive measurable impact.
“For more than 65 years, Edwards has been dedicated to transforming care for patients with structural heart disease by developing breakthrough therapies. We produce world-class evidence demonstrating durable and differentiated patient outcomes, and support physician training and education to understand the severity of valvular heart disease and to close gaps in diagnosis and treatment,” said Dan Lippis, corporate vice president, transcatheter aortic valve replacement. “Yet despite decades of innovation, evidence and education on the undeniable health benefits of aortic stenosis treatment, and corresponding economic benefits to healthcare ecosystems, there continues to be serious inadequacy in treatment access. That’s why there is a meaningful opportunity now for this groundbreaking initiative with the American Heart Association. It reflects our shared urgency and builds on our legacy, accelerating progress to help clinicians recognize symptoms earlier, treat patients faster and save more lives.”
The Heart Valve Initiative will expand the reach of Target: Aortic Stenosis, an American Heart Association program also founded through Edwards’ sponsorship. Over the next five years, the initiative will:
- Improve adherence to guideline-based care, beginning with aortic stenosis
- Expand data collection to include asymptomatic and moderate AS cases
- Establish a heart valve certification program for hospitals
- Advance public reporting and hospital recognition
- Provide multimedia education for clinicians and patients
- Launch a national awareness campaign to support informed care decisions
