Advocacy

Dr. Alfred Danielian, a sports cardiologist in Las Vegas, NV and our ACC governor elect, is on a mission to equip every high school in Nevada with life-saving AED devices. To make this a reality, Dr. Danielian is advocating for the Smart Heart Law, a legislative effort that requires the implementation of a well-structured and rehearsed emergency action plan, and annual CPR and AED training for coaches.

He is also collaborating with the NFL’s Smart Heart Initiative, a nationwide push to implement policies that prevent fatal sudden cardiac arrest in high school athletes. As Dr. Danielian emphasized in the video below, sudden cardiac arrest isn’t just a concern for adults, it can strike young athletes, too. “Our goal is to save lives, and AEDs save lives,” he said. When used immediately, AEDs triple survival rates, because in cardiac emergencies, every second counts.

The Smart Heart Law would ensure AEDs are readily available at all high school athletic venues, require CPR and AED training for coaches, and mandate emergency action plans that are written, posted, and distributed. Dr. Danielian recently appeared on Fox 5 to amplify awareness of this life-saving campaign!

ACC Nevada Chapter was awarded the ACC Chapter Section Grant of 2024

• Improving Access to the Prescription Pantry Program of Northern Nevada
• Food insecurity is a critical yet often overlooked determinant of cardiovascular health. The Prescription Pantry Program (PPP) addresses this gap by providing medically tailored food prescriptions to underserved populations. Our team—Dr. Letitia Anderson, MD, FACC; Dr. Cynthia Moreno, MD; Janie Gomez, RN; Christina Coss, APRN; Megan Pratt, DNP, APRN; and Ivy Spadone, DMSc—are working to expand access and improve utilization of this vital resource. Our research efforts have also been accepted for presentation at the Women in Cardiology Conference, underscoring the impact of this initiative in addressing food insecurity as a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Cynthia Moreno showcased her team’s award-winning research at the Women in Cardiology Symposium in March 2025, where they earned second place for their outstanding work.