A primary mission of the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association (AHA) is to attract the best new and emerging science from a wide spectrum of established and new investigators worldwide. The AHA also seeks to promote the missions of its scientific councils (Table 1) by fostering interaction and collaboration between new and old members as well as non-members participating in the scientific sessions. In order to facilitate submission of abstracts for presentation at the scientific sessions and to enable a fair review and grading of submitted abstracts, the Committee on Scientific Sessions Program (CSSP) and the Council Affairs Committee (CAC) formed the subcommittee on Science-Based Abstract Review and charged it with the responsibility of reviewing the abstract grading process. Membership of the subcommittee included previous CSSP Program Chairs and representatives from the CSSP and CAC. On its recommendation, a working group of the CSSP was formed and directed to make specific recommendations for the revised abstract category list. This report reflects the revisions made by the Working Group on Science-Based Abstract Categories as approved by the CSSP on January 15, 1998.

A total of 85 unique categories were created within the three broad bases of (a) basic research, (b) clinical science and (c) population science (Tables 2 and 3). Reviewers for each category are selected from a broad base of national and international expert members of AHA scientific councils. Non-members of scientific councils with national and international recognition for their expertise in relevant categories may also be included in the panel of abstract reviewers. Table 4 shows the list of scientific councils and the categories for which they provide sponsorship and reviewers. Each abstract is graded by 7–10 reviewers to provide a fair and comprehensive review. The abstract category list will be revised yearly by the CSSP in order to reflect the changing field of science and to continue to capture the best new and emerging data from the frontiers of basic research, clinical science and population-based science.

**Table 1.** Scientific Councils of the American Heart Association
1. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB)
2. Basic Science (BS)
3. Circulation (Circ)
4. Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care (CC)
5. Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS)
6. Cardiovascular Disease in the Young (CVDY)
7. Cardiovascular Nursing (CVN)
8. Cardiovascular Radiology (CVR)
9. Clinical Cardiology (CC)
10. Epidemiology and Prevention (Epi)
11. High Blood Pressure Research (HBPR)
12. Kidney (Kid)
13. Stroke (Stroke)

**Table 2.** Science-Based Abstract Category Headings and Sub-Headings
A. BASIC RESEARCH
(a) Vascular Biology
(b) Coagulation/Anticoagulation
(c) Electrophysiology
(d) Cardiac Structure/Function
(e) Integrative Cardiovascular Biology
(f) General Subjects
B. CLINICAL SCIENCE
(a) Clinical Cardiovascular Medicine
(b) Cardiovascular Imaging
(c) Endovascular Interventions
(d) Cardiovascular Surgery
(e) Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease
(f) Cardiovascular Nursing
C. POPULATION SCIENCE

**Table 3.** Science-Based Abstract Grading Category List
BASIC RESEARCH
Vascular Biology
1. Cell and developmental biology (ATVB, BS, Circ)
2. Mechanisms of atherosclerosis (ATVB, BS, Circ)
3. Endothelium & vascular tone (ATVB, BS, CARD, Circ, HBPR, Kid, Stroke)
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix, apoptosis (ATVB, BS, CARD, Circ, HBPR, Kid)
5. NO synthase (ATVB, BS, CARD, Circ, HBPR, Kid)
6. Angiogenesis (ATVB, BS, Circ)
7. Inflammation and adhesion molecules (ATVB, BS, Circ)
8. Animal models of vascular disease (ATVB, BS, Circ)
9. Plaque rupture (ATVB, BS, Circ)
Coagulation/Anticoagulation
10. Platelets and biology of hemostasis (ATVB)
11. Regulation of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis (ATVB)
12. Antithrombotic treatment: experimental (ATVB)
Electrophysiology
13. Ion channels and membrane transporters (BS, Circ)
14. Cellular electrophysiology/electropharmacology (BS, Circ)
15. Arrhythmias in experimental models (BS, Circ)
Cardiac Structure/Function
16. Cardiac development (BS, CVDY)
17. Hypertrophy, failure, remodeling of the heart (BS, Circ)
18. Myocardial structure and pathology (BS, Circ)
19. Cellular aspects of excitation-contraction coupling (BS, Circ)
20. Ventricular function/mechanics (BS, Circ)
21. Myocardial energetics/intermediary metabolism (BS, Circ)
22. Experimental myocardial infarction (BS, Circ)
23. Protection of ischemic myocardium (BS, Circ)
Integrative Cardiovascular Biology
24. Coronary circulation (BS, Circ)
25. Regional circulation/microcirculation (BS, Circ)
26. Autonomic, reflex, and neurohumoral control of circulation (BS, Circ, HBPR)
27. Pulmonary circulation and respiratory processes (CARD)
28. Cardiorenal physiology/pathophysiology (BS, HBPR, Kid)
General Subjects
29. Oxidant stress (ATVB, BS, CARD, Circ)
30. Growth factors, cytokines, signal transduction, apoptosis (ATVB, BS, Circ, Kid)
31. Gene expression/molecular biology (ATVB, BS, Circ, Kid)
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental (ATVB, BS, CARD, Circ, HBPR, Kid)
33. Lipid and lipoprotein metabolism: basic and cellular (ATVB)
34. Receptor pharmacology (BS, Circ)
CLINICAL SCIENCE
Clinical Cardiovascular Medicine
35. Genetics of cardiovascular disease (ATVB, BS, Circ, CVDY, Stroke)
36. Gene therapy, clinical (ATVB, BS, CARD, Circ, HBPR, Kid)
37. Lipid disorders and lipoprotein metabolism (ATVB)
38. Nutrition (ATVB, CC, CVDY, Epi, HBPR, Kid)
39. Antithrombotic treatment: clinical (ATVB, CC, Stroke)
40. Hypertension: Clinical and Experimental (HBPR)
41. Cerebrovascular Disease/Stroke (Stroke)
42. Laennec Society (Clinical diagnosis and investigation of mechanisms and pathophysiology of disease) (CC)
43. Ischemic heart disease: chronic (CC)
44. Acute coronary syndromes: diagnosis, triggering and pathophysiology (CC)
45. Acute coronary syndromes: non-catheter based therapies (for catheter-based therapies use 64 and 65) (CC)
46. CPR and emergency cardiac care (CARD)
47. Lung injury and critical care (CARD)
48. Exercise/exercise testing/rehabilitation (CC)
49. ECG, signal averaged ECG, autonomic tone, syncope (CC)
50. Arrhythmias, clinical electrophysiology, drugs (CC)
51. Treatment of arrhythmias: ablation/surgery (CC)
52. Treatment of arrhythmias: ICD/pacemaker (CC)
53. Valvular heart disease/infective endocarditis (CC)
54. Ventricular function/hemodynamics/hypertrophy (CC)
55. Myocardial/pericardial disease (CC)
56. Heart failure: mechanisms (CC)
57. Heart failure: treatment (CC)
Cardiovascular Imaging
58. Echocardiography: Clinical application and emerging technologies (CC)
59. Ultrasound in coronary disease: stress and contrast echocardiography (CC)
60. Echo evaluation of cardiac function and valvular heart disease (CC)
61. Nuclear cardiology: Conventional isotope imaging and PET (CC, CVR)
62. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (CC, CVDY, CVR)
63. Non-coronary vascular ultrasound and Doppler (CVR)
64. Coronary imaging: angiography/ultrasound/Doppler (CC)
Endovascular Interventions
65. Catheter-based coronary interventions: stents (CC)
66. Catheter-based coronary and valvular interventions (PTCA, atherectomy, laser, valvuloplasty, other devices) (CC)
67. Aortic stent grafts (CVR, CVTS)
68. Peripheral, renal, carotid interventions (CVR)
Cardiovascular Surgery
69. Coronary artery disease (CTVS)
70. Valvular heart disease (CTVS)
71. Myocardial protection/intraoperative management (CTVS)
72. Clinical aspects of intrathoracic transplantation (CARD, CC, CVDY, CVN, CTVS)
73. Transplantation, ventricular assistance, long-term organ preservation, cardiomyoplasty (CTVS)
74. Peripheral vascular and thoracic aortic disease (CTVS)
Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease
75. Pediatric congenital and acquired heart disease (CVDY)
76. Pediatric Imaging (CVDY)
77. Pediatric electrophysiology and interventional cardiology (CVDY, CVR)
78. Pediatric cardiac surgery (CTVS, CVDY)
79. Adult congenital heart disease (CC, CTVS, CVDY)
Cardiovascular Nursing
80. Physiological aspects (CVN)
81. Psychosocial aspects (CVN)
82. Rehabilitation, prevention, education and patient care (CVN)
POPULATION SCIENCE
83. Epidemiology: Population studies, mass field trials (Epi)
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation (ATVB, CARD, CC, CVDY, CVN, Epi, HBPR, Stroke, Kid)
85. Health policy and outcomes research (CARD, CC, CTVS, CVDY, CVN, CVR, Epi)
Scientific Council sponsorship and participation in abstract review is noted in parenthesis after each category. See Table 1 for council abbreviations

**Table 4.** Scientific Councils and the Abstract Categories Sponsored
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology
1. Cell and developmental biology
2. Mechanisms of atherosclerosis
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix, apoptosis
5. NO synthase
6. Angiogenesis
7. Inflammation and adhesion molecules
8. Animal models of vascular disease
9. Plaque rupture
10. Platelets and biology of hemostasis
11. Regulation of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis
12. Antithrombotic treatment: experimental
29. Oxidant stress
30. Growth factors, cytokines, signal transduction, apoptosis
31. Gene expression/molecular biology
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental
33. Lipid and lipoprotein metabolism: basic and cellular
35. Genetics of cardiovascular disease
36. Gene therapy, clinical
37. Lipid disorders and lipoprotein metabolism
38. Nutrition
39. Antithrombotic treatment: clinical
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
Basic Science
1. Cell and developmental biology
2. Mechanisms of atherosclerosis
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix. Apoptosis
5. NO synthase
6. Angiogenesis
7. Inflammation and adhesion molecules
8. Animal models of vascular disease
9. Plaque rupture
13. Ion channels and membrane transporters
14. Cellular electrophysiology/electropharmacology
15. Arrhythmias in experimental models
16. Cardiac development
17. Hypertrophy, failure, remodeling of the heart
18. Myocardial structure and pathology
19. Cellular aspects of excitation-contraction coupling
20. Ventricular function/mechanics
21. Myocardial energetics/intermediary metabolism
22. Experimental myocardial infarction
23. Protection of ischemic myocardium
24. Coronary circulation
25. Regional circulation/microcirculation
26. Autonomic, reflex, and neurohumoral control of circulation
28. Cardiorenal physiology/pathophysiology
29. Oxidant stress
30. Growth factors, cytokines, signal transduction, apoptosis
31. Gene expression/molecular biology
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental
34. Receptor pharmacology
35. Genetics of cardiovascular disease
36. Gene therapy, clinical
Circulation
1. Cell and developmental biology
2. Mechanisms of atherosclerosis
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix, apoptosis
5. NO synthase
6. Angiogenesis
7. Inflammation and adhesion molecules
8. Animal models of vascular disease
9. Plaque rupture
13. Ion channels and membrane transporters
14. Cellular electrophysiology/electropharmacology
15. Arrhythmias in experimental models
17. Hypertrophy, failure, remodeling of the heart
18. Myocardial structure and pathology
19. Cellular aspects of excitation-contraction coupling
20. Ventricular function/mechanics
21. Myocardial energetics/intermediary metabolism
22. Experimental myocardial infarction
23. Protection of ischemic myocardium
24. Coronary circulation
25. Regional circulation/microcirculation
26. Autonomic, reflex, and neurohumoral control of circulation
29. Oxidant stress
30. Growth factors, cytokines, signal transduction, apoptosis
31. Gene expression/molecular biology
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental
34. Receptor pharmacology
35. Genetics of cardiovascular disease
36. Gene therapy, clinical
Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix. Apoptosis
5. NO synthase
27. Pulmonary circulation and respiratory processes
29. Oxidant stress
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental
36. Gene therapy, clinical
46. CPR and emergency cardiac care
47. Lung injury and critical care
72. Clinical aspects of intrathoracic transplantation
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
85. Health policy and outcomes research
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery
69. Coronary artery disease
70. Valvular heart disease
71. Myocardial protection/intraoperative management
72. Clinical aspects of intrathoracic transplantation
73. Transplantation, ventricular assistance, long-term organ preservation, cardiomyoplasty
74. Peripheral vascular and thoracic aortic disease
78. Pediatric cardiac surgery
79. Adult congenital heart disease
85. Health policy and outcomes research
Cardiovascular Disease in the Young
16. Cardiac development
35. Genetics of cardiovascular disease
38. Nutrition
62. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging
75. Pediatric congenital and acquired heart disease:
76. Pediatric Imaging
77. Pediatric electrophysiology and interventional cardiology
78. Pediatric cardiac surgery
79. Adult congenital heart disease
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
85. Health policy and outcomes research
Cardiovascular Nursing
80. Physiological aspects
81. Psychosocial aspects
82. Rehabilitation, prevention, education and patient care
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
85. Health policy and outcomes research
Cardiovascular Radiology
61. Nuclear cardiology: Conventional isotope imaging and PET
62. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging
63. Non-coronary vascular ultrasound and Doppler
67. Aortic stent grafts
68. Peripheral, renal, carotid interventions
77. Pediatric electrophysiology and interventional cardiology
85. Health policy and outcomes research
Clinical Cardiology
38. Nutrition
39. Antithrombotic treatment: clinical
42. Laennec Society (Clinical diagnosis and investigation of mechanisms and pathophysiology of disease)
43. Ischemic heart disease: chronic
44. Acute coronary syndromes: diagnosis, triggering and pathophysiology
45. Acute coronary syndromes: non-catheter based therapies (for catheter-based therapies use 64 and 65)
48. Exercise/exercise testing/rehabilitation
49. ECG, signal averaged ECG, autonomic tone, syncope
50. Arrhythmias, clinical electrophysiology, drugs
51. Treatment of arrhythmias: ablation/surgery
52. Treatment of arrhythmias: ICD/pacemaker
53. Valvular heart disease/infective endocarditis
54. Ventricular function/hemodynamics/hypertrophy
55. Myocardial/pericardial disease
56. Heart failure: mechanisms
57. Heart failure: treatment
58. Echocardiography: Clinical application and emerging technologies
59. Ultrasound in coronary disease: stress and contrast echocardiography
60. Echo evaluation of cardiac function and valvular heart disease
61. Nuclear cardiology: Conventional isotope imaging and PET
62. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging
64. Coronary imaging: angiography/ultrasound/Doppler
65. Catheter-based coronary interventions: stents
66. Catheter-based coronary and valvular interventions (PTCA, atherectomy, laser, valvuloplasty, other devices)
72. Clinical aspects of intrathoracic transplantation
79. Adult congenital heart disease
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
85. Health policy and outcomes research
Epidemiology and Prevention
38. Nutrition
83. Epidemiology: Population studies, mass field trials
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
85. Health policy and outcomes research
High Blood Pressure Research
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix. Apoptosis
5. NO synthase
26. Autonomic, reflex, and neurohumoral control of circulation
28. Cardiorenal physiology/pathophysiology
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental
36. Gene therapy, clinical
38. Nutrition
40. Hypertension: Clinical and Experimental
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation
Kidney
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
4. Proliferation, remodeling, extracellular matrix. Apoptosis
5. NO synthase
28. Cardiorenal physiology/pathophysiology
30. Growth factors, cytokines, signal transduction, apoptosis
31. Gene expression/molecular biology
32. In-vivo gene transfer: experimental
36. Gene therapy, clinical
38. Nutrition
Stroke
3. Endothelium & vascular tone
35. Genetics of cardiovascular disease
39. Antithrombotic treatment: clinical
41. Cerebrovascular Disease/Stroke
84. Prevention research: population-based, individual interventions, risk factor modification and rehabilitation