CHELMSFORD, Mass., February 02, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The ZOLL LifeVest® team is “going red” for Heart Month in February 2026 in support of the American Heart Association and their Go Red for Women® initiative to spotlight women’s cardiac health. ZOLL®, an Asahi Kasei company that manufactures medical devices and related software solutions, announced that ZOLL’s continuing support of the American Heart Association will include a combination of awareness, advocacy, and fundraising activities and events.
“During Heart Month, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting women at risk of sudden cardiac death and to working alongside healthcare providers to improve outcomes for patients when they are most vulnerable,” said Mike Blastick, President of ZOLL Cardiac Management Solutions. “This February, our employees will be wearing that commitment on their sleeves—literally—with ‘ZOLL LifeVest Goes Red’ T-shirts as part of an effort to raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association.”
ZOLL has a long-standing connection to the American Heart Association, demonstrated through multi-year support and active employee participation in annual Heart Walk fundraising events. This year, ZOLL’s Cardiac Management Solutions division will provide team shirts for Heart Month and match all employee donations, with proceeds benefiting the 2026 Pittsburgh Heart Walk.
In addition to fundraising events, ZOLL will launch Go Red-themed social campaigns to spotlight cardiac risk factors and treatment options for women.
Why it matters: Helping address an outcome gap
Cardiovascular disease continues to impact more than 62 million women in the United States alone,1 underscoring the need for focused attention and tailored interventions. Because heart disease often presents differently in women than in men, recognizing these differences is critical. Despite advances in cardiovascular care, women face a higher risk of developing heart failure within five years of hospital discharge and are more likely than men to die following a heart attack.2
Protecting women with evidence-based care: LifeVest is a proven solution for women at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD)
LifeVest has played a critical role in safeguarding women during vulnerable periods of cardiac recovery. LifeVest is the most prescribed wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) for women. To date, almost 400,000 women have been protected with LifeVest.3
LifeVest ranks #1 in patient compliance this decade for both women and men (23.4+ hrs/day median in real-world and peer-reviewed studies).4,5,6 Research has demonstrated that LifeVest compliance is higher among women than men, and arrhythmias are detected more frequently in female LifeVest patients.7 Additionally, LifeVest is the only WCD studied in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy.8,9 The latest LifeVest garment is preferred by patients for even greater comfort.10
ZOLL and the American Heart Association: A shared commitment to heart health
ZOLL’s Cardiac Management Solutions division, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a long-term sponsor and supporter of the local chapter of the American Heart Association, including:
Sponsorship funding for one of the most utilized hands-only CPR training kiosks in the country at the Kamin Science Center in Pittsburgh.
Funding for Project Lifesaver bystander training sessions for under-resourced neighborhoods with high rates of SCD.
Annual sponsorship of American Heart Association keystone events: Go Red for Women, the Heart Walk, and the Heart Ball.
Through support of the American Heart Association, cardiology healthcare professionals, and the cardiology community, ZOLL continues to work toward improved outcomes for women facing acute cardiac conditions, including SCD protection during high-risk periods.
About the LifeVest® WCD
LifeVest is a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) that is prescribed to patients at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). LifeVest is designed to detect certain life-threatening rapid heart rhythms and, if needed, automatically deliver a treatment shock to restore normal heart rhythm. While some defibrillator devices are implanted, LifeVest is worn directly against skin, under regular clothing. Most patients wear LifeVest until their condition improves or their doctor makes a decision about long-term care.
About ZOLL
ZOLL, an Asahi Kasei company, develops and markets medical devices and software solutions that help advance emergency care and save lives, while increasing clinical and operational efficiencies. With products for defibrillation and cardiac monitoring, circulation enhancement and CPR feedback, supersaturated oxygen therapy, data management, ventilation, therapeutic temperature management, and sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians, EMS and fire professionals, as well as lay rescuers, improve patient outcomes in critical cardiopulmonary conditions. For more information, visit www.zoll.com.
The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 50,000 employees worldwide, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Healthcare, Homes, and Material. Its healthcare operations include devices and systems for critical care, products and services for the manufacture of biotherapeutics, and a growing portfolio of specialty pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.
Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.
Martin SS, Aday AW, Allen NB, Almarzooq ZI, Anderson CAM, Arora P, Avery CL, Baker-Smith CM, Bansal N, Beaton AZ, et al. 2025 heart disease and stroke statistics: A report of US and global data from the American heart association. Circulation. 2025;151:e41–e660. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001303.
Ezekowitz J, Savu A, Welsh R, et al. Is There a Sex Gap in Surviving an Acute Coronary Syndrome or Subsequent Development of Heart Failure? Circulation. December 2020, Volume 142, Number 3.
Data on file, 20C1451_a01. Female LifeVest Patient Population January 2026.
David Duncker, Eloi Marijon, Marco Metra, Olivier Piot, Marat Fudim, Uwe Siebert, Norbert Frey, Lars Siegfried Maier, Johann Bauersachs, Sudden cardiac death in newly diagnosed non-ischaemic or ischaemic cardiomyopathy assessed with a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator: the German nationwide SCD-PROTECT study, European Heart Journal, 2025;, ehaf668, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf668;
Garcia R, Combes N, Defaye P, et al. Wearable cardioverter-defibrillator in patients with a transient risk of sudden cardiac death: the WEARIT-France cohort study. EP Europace. 2020;23(1):73-81. doi:10.1093/europace/euaa268;
Data on file, 90d0258_a01. 2021 Commercial Compliance Analysis.
Kutyifa V, Moss AJ, Klein H, et al. Use of the wearable cardioverter defibrillator in high-risk cardiac patients: Data from the prospective registry of patients using the wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WEARIT-II Registry) . Circulation 2015;132(17):1613–1619.
Duncker D, Westenfeld R, Konrad T, et al. Risk for life-threatening arrhythmia in newly diagnosed peripartum cardiomyopathy with low ejection fraction: a German multi-centre analysis. Clin Res Cardiol. 2017 Aug;106(8):582-589. doi: 10.1007/s00392-017-1090-5. Epub 2017 Mar 8. PMID: 28275862; PMCID: PMC5529484.
Duncker D, Haghikia A, König T, et al. Risk for ventricular fibrillation in peripartum cardiomyopathy with severely reduced left ventricular function-value of the wearable cardioverter/defibrillator. Eur J Heart Fail. 2014 Dec;16(12):1331-6. doi: 10.1002/ejhf.188. Epub 2014 Nov 5. PMID: 25371320.
Data on file, 20c1184_a01. Garment Comparative Wear Test.
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