Edwards Champions American Heart Association Initiative to Reduce Deaths, Improve Care for Patients With Heart Valve Disease

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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

About Edwards Lifesciences

Edwards Lifesciences is the leading global structural heart innovation company, driven by a passion to improve patient lives. Through breakthrough technologies, world-class evidence and partnerships with clinicians and healthcare stakeholders, our employees are inspired by our patient-focused culture to deliver life-changing innovations to those who need them most. Discover more at www.edwards.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. We intend the forward-looking statements contained in this release to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of such Acts. These forward-looking statements can sometimes be identified by the use of forward-looking words, such as “may,” “might,” “believe,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “estimate,” “should,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “goal,” “continue,” “seek,” “intend,” “optimistic,” “aspire,” “confident” and other forms of these words and include, but are not limited to, statements made by Mr. Lippis and statements regarding the production of world-class evidence, durable and differentiated patient outcomes, the results of the AHA heart valve initiative, including improving adherence to guideline-based care, expand data collection with respect to asymptomatic and moderate AS cases, establish heart valve certification programs for hospitals, advance public reporting and hospital recognition, provide multimedia education to stakeholders and launch a national awareness campaign and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by management of the company and are believed to be reasonable, though they are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the statement. Investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements based on a number of factors as detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings, along with important safety information about our products, may be found at Edwards.com.