Epidemic of cardiovascular disease and stroke: the three main challenges. Presented at the 71st scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. Dallas, Texas.

This year marks our 50th anniversary as a nonprofit volunteer health organization. With more than 4 million volunteers, the American Heart Association (AHA) is the largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Since the AHA began in 1948, its mission has been fighting death and disability from these diseases through research and education. In research, the AHA focuses on identifying and providing initial support to talented, young investigators and disseminating scientific discoveries to scientists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals through our 5 journals and scientific programs such as these Scientific Sessions. The medical community, as well as the public, is the target audience of AHA’s educational efforts to promote prevention and early treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The Scientific Sessions attracted more than 30 000 scientists and other healthcare personnel from 54 nations. The impressive representation of the international community is the clearest sign that cardiovascular health is regarded as a global challenge at the turn of the century. For this reason I salute the following 5 presidents and representatives of the world of cardiology: Dr Lars Ryden, President of the European Society of Cardiology; Dr Sjukri Karim, President of the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology; Dr Mario Garcia-Palmieri, President of the Inter-American Society of Cardiology; Dr Antonio Bayes de Luna, President of the World Heart Federation; and Dr Spencer B. King, President of the American College of Cardiology. In the past 50 years, the AHA has made great strides—a source of great pride to all of us. But at the turn of the century, the AHA and indeed the world of cardiology face several serious challenges: (1) How will we support and energize research, which is so crucial to preventing the still-evolving epidemic of cardiovascular disease and stroke? (2) Is it realistic to expect that this …

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