New effort launched to support earlier diagnosis, treatment of aortic stenosis

American Heart Association to connect patients, providers with clinical trial opportunities to advance new therapies

2025-11-04

(Press-News.org) DALLAS, November 3, 2025 — People living with aortic stenosis (AS) could gain earlier access to innovative care and treatment thanks to a new effort from the American Heart Association designed to boost clinical trial participation and speed diagnosis of this common but underdiagnosed heart valve condition.

AS is characterized by the narrowing of the aortic valve opening, which restricts blood flow from the heart to the body. Untreated, this can lead to severe complications, including heart failure and death.

The American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all, is expanding its support for patients with moderate AS by launching a new effort to drive awareness of and access to clinical trials across its nationwide network of hospitals and heart valve clinics.

“Aortic stenosis is a serious condition, yet too often, people go undiagnosed until the disease progresses,” said Sreekanth Vemulapalli, M.D., the Association’s volunteer project clinical leader and volunteer member of the Target: Aortic Stenosis Scientific Advisory Group. Vemulapalli is also an associate professor of medicine at Duke University, a core faculty member at the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy and a member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute. “By identifying eligible participants for new clinical trials and supporting clinical research, this initiative will help shape the future of care for people affected by this disease.”

The initiative, supported by Kardigan, leverages the established infrastructure of the Association’s Target: Aortic Stenosis™ program. More than 2,200 people with moderate AS are already managed through the Association’s existing quality improvement network. This new effort will engage at least 40 hospitals and their affiliated heart valve clinics to connect more individuals with research opportunities, promoting emerging medical therapy alternatives and advancing guideline-based care.

“We’re proud to support this American Heart Association initiative to help connect patients with moderate aortic stenosis to promising research opportunities,” said Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and chief medical officer at Kardigan. “At Kardigan, we are on a mission to revolutionize the treatment of cardiovascular diseases by moving beyond symptom management and redefining care where patients and their families need it most and where therapies don’t currently exist. Improving access to clinical trials will not only advance innovation, but also help more people receive the diagnosis and treatment they need sooner.”

As part of this new effort, the Association will provide professional education, quality improvement tools and site-level support to help clinicians better identify and refer individuals eligible for clinical trials. A health care provider climate survey will also explore barriers to trial enrollment and inform solutions that increase participation in structural heart disease research.

The Target: Aortic Stenosis™ program is also supported by Edwards Lifesciences.

Additional Resources:

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.   

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New effort launched to support earlier diagnosis, treatment of aortic stenosis

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