Content Editorial Process

Stories for the American Heart Association website are produced by a staff of professional writers and editors. The information is obtained through interviews with American Heart Association volunteers who are physicians, other healthcare professionals or experts; and/or compiled from data assembled by the organization’s staff. All stories receive statistical- and science-based review by the American Heart Association’s team of science and medicine advisors. All content is reviewed and published online by our AHA staff.

Because we are a science-based organization, review of all stories by science and medicine advisors is a critical step in all editorial production. Internal staff manages a database of review and assign each for review by at least one advisor.  If not approved, there is a feedback loop, which will ultimately require additional review.

These stories are written as a public service in support of the American Heart Association’s mission: To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. This information is designed to help people improve their health, learn prevention information, understand heart disease and stroke risks, and learn about specific medical conditions. This information should support readers’ health and help them deal with their conditions, but it does not replace the advice of a qualified health professional who is familiar with an individual's medical needs. Read the American Heart Association Ethics Policy.

The American Heart Association does not charge anything or require subscriptions for public access to these stories on their website, and the organization does not accept any form of advertisements on its website. The content of the Health Topics and Healthy Living sections of our website is available for licensing and syndication for your website. The American Heart Association maintains relationships with sponsors of its digital assets to support its mission.

The target audience for the heart.org website content is the public and people who seek knowledge about various cardiovascular conditions, their relatives, friends and others in their lives who would find this information helpful. The cardiovascular conditions addressed in this section of the website are arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, cholesterol, congenital heart defects, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, peripheral artery disease and stroke. We also offer preventive information in the Healthy Living section of our website including Healthy Eating, Recipes, Weight Management, Stress Management, Physical Activity/Fitness, and Quit Vaping and Smoking.

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – two of America’s leading killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org, donate, or call any of our offices around the country.