American Heart Association (02/23/26)
The American Heart Association (AHA) has launched a major initiative to reshape how clinicians identify and treat cardiovascular risk in midlife women. The effort is funded by a $1 million gift from Jennifer Ashton, MD, and Tom Werner. It will create the first educational program designed to bring cardiologists and OB-GYNs together to deliver proactive, evidence-based care during the menopause transition, a period when cardiometabolic risk rises sharply. Cardiovascular disease already causes one in three female deaths each year, and risk accelerates at menopause due to declining estrogen, worsening lipid profiles, vascular stiffening, and rising blood pressure. The new program aims to close persistent treatment gaps by equipping clinicians with interdisciplinary tools and training. AHA CEO Nancy Brown called the gift an act of “remarkable vision and generosity” that will “redefine how cardiovascular and gynecologic health are connected.” Ashton noted that midlife risks are often overlooked because “OB-GYNs often don't know the latest cardiology information, and cardiologists often are unaware of the most current aspects of menopause medicine.” Developed with leading medical societies, the initiative will launch initial courses in Fall 2026 and expand through Spring 2027.
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