Abstracts & Awards – Hypertension Scientific Sessions
October 7-11, 2026
Hyatt Regency Crystal City | Arlington, Virginia
Abstract Submission
Abstract Submission Pricing:
- American Heart Association Professional Members: $45
- Non-Members: $95
Deadline:
- Abstracts Open: April 1, 2026
- Abstracts close: June 24, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. CDT (-5 UTC)
Abstract Submission
- Review Best Practices for Writing Abstracts
- Submit all abstracts in English.
- Authors should not "split" data to create several abstracts from one. If splitting is judged to have occurred, priority scores of related abstracts will be reduced.
- Abstracts containing identical or nearly identical data submitted from the same institution and/or individuals will be disqualified.
- Proofread abstracts carefully to avoid errors before submission. The abstract will be reviewed exactly as submitted.
- An abstract must have a short, specific title (containing no abbreviations) that indicates the nature of the investigation.
- Describe briefly the objectives of the study unless they are contained in the title. Include a brief statement of methods if pertinent. State findings in detail sufficient to support conclusions. Abstracts should not describe research in which the chemical identity or source of the reagent is proprietary or cannot be revealed.
- Use generic drug names.
- Do not begin sentences with numerals.
- Standard abbreviations may be used without definition. Nonstandard abbreviations (kept to a minimum) must be placed in parentheses after the first use of the word or phrase abbreviated.
- Do not include references, credits or grant support.
- Do not include the names or personal information of any patient participating in the study or trial.
- The character limit cannot exceed 2,500. Punctuation counts as characters; spaces do not.
- You may submit a maximum of up to 3 images. Images do NOT count as characters.
- If an image is to accompany the abstract, it must be submitted as a digital image with the following specifications:
- File type format must be JPG, PNG, GIF, or BMP.
- The acceptable dpi range is 72 to 300.
- If the image is black, save it as black/grayscale. If the image is color, save it as RGB.
- Crop out white space around the figure and crop it tight (but do not cut off any text or lines).
- The maximum width of the image is 440 pixels. If the image is smaller, do not increase its size. Note: images wider than 440 pixels may not be usable on the journal website.
Author Name(s)
- The submitting author will be designated as the primary and presenting author unless otherwise specified. The presenting author must be listed on the abstract and can be listed anywhere in the author block.
- Acceptance notifications and correspondence are sent to the presenting author ONLY.
- All authors listed on the abstract must have actively participated in the research the abstract represents. The American Heart Association reserves the right to remove an abstract from the program abstract represents
- Please review the author block carefully. Edits cannot be made after deadline. Once submission is complete, the author block will be published as submitted. Additions or deletions of author names are not permitted after the submission deadline.
Abstract Acceptance
- Submitters will be notified of acceptance/non-acceptance status via e-mail in early August 2026.
- Abstracts are reviewed in blinded fashion and selected on the basis of scientific merit. The conference Program Committees will determine whether the abstract is to be presented orally or by poster.
- Request oral, poster or moderated poster presentation on the presentation preference tab of the submitter site. Unless you select "poster only" the selection of one of these options will neither prejudice acceptance nor guarantee an oral presentation because abstracts will be arranged to fit into a thematic group for presentation. Although every effort will be made to accommodate your presentation request, there is no guarantee that you will present in the mode of your preference.
- Expenses associated with the submission and presentation of an abstract are the responsibility of the presenter.
- Presenting/submitting authors must register and pay associated fees for attendance at the conference. All abstract presentation (oral or poster) must be in-person.
- Abstracts selected will be published in an online version of Hypertension.
- Accepted abstracts will not have been published (manuscript or abstract) prior to the date of this submission or presented at any national or international meeting prior to October 7, 2026. Abstracts are embargoed for release at date and time of presentation or time of American Heart Association news event. Information may not be released before then. Failure to honor embargo policies will result in the abstract being withdrawn and barred from presentation.
- Submission of an abstract constitutes a commitment by the authors to present if accepted. Failure to present, if not justified, will jeopardize future acceptance of abstracts.
Recording Policy:
- Unauthorized recording of American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, scientific conferences and the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference is prohibited, whether by video, still or digital photography, audio or any other recording or reproduction mechanism. This includes recording of presentations and supporting audiovisual materials and of poster presentations and supporting poster materials.
- The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association reserve the rights to all recordings or reproductions of presentations at AHA/ASA scientific conferences and meetings.
Abstract Withdrawal
- There is no guarantee that your abstract will not be published in the final program and the Journal unless request for withdrawal is received in writing via email to [email protected] by September 23, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CDT (UTC -5). Please reference "HTN26."
Abstract Revisions
- After the submission deadline, your abstract submission is considered final and cannot be edited. No proof pages will be sent to authors.
- Abstracts may not be revised in any way or resubmitted
- Additions or deletions of Author Names will not be permitted.
- Proofread abstracts carefully to avoid errors before submission.
Use of Automated Assistive Writing Technologies and Tools
- The use of automated assistive writing technologies and tools (commonly referred to as artificial intelligence or machine learning tools) is permitted provided that their use is documented, and authors assume responsibility for the content. As with human generated content, authors are responsible for the accuracy, validity and originality of computer-generated content. Automated assistive writing technologies do not qualify for authorship as they are unable to provide approval or consent for submission.
- If the use of these technologies has involved the research design, the tools should be documented in the Methods section of the abstract. For additional information, see the World Association of Medical Editor recommendations.
- For your abstract submission, you will need to indicate the use of these tools.
Presentation
- All presentations and question-and-answer sessions will be conducted in English. Presenters may request assistance from the moderator who will repeat or rephrase questions from the audience or may ask a colleague in the audience to assist with translation.
- References to work previously published by other authors must include citations at the bottom of the appropriate slides.
- Unauthorized recording of the conference is prohibited, whether by video, still or digital photography, audio or any other recording or reproduction mechanism. This includes recording of presentations and supporting AV materials and of poster presentations and supporting poster materials.
- All oral presentations must be in electronic format. Electronic presentations must be submitted 12 business hours in advance of the session start time. Instructions will be provided upon acceptance.
Abstract Submission
Provide unique clinical cases or images that represent novel or interesting aspects of hypertension or renal science.
Please ensure a high-quality image without any identifyable information that is acceptable for publication
Clinical case study abstracts may have the following identifiable sections: Case Presentation, Differential Diagnosis, Treatment and Management, Outcome and Discussion/Teaching Points.
- Title
- Case Presentation – Detailed patient information including: demographics, medical history, symptoms and clinical findings, and diagnostic tests/results. NOTE: Do NOT include patient names. Proprietary information cannot be revealed.
- Differential Diagnosis – Discussion of the potential diagnoses considered and the reasoning behind the final diagnosis.
- Treatment and Management – Details of the treatment provided, including any procedures, medications, or interventions.
- Outcome and Follow-Up – Results of the treatment and the patient's progress over time.
- Teaching Points – Analysis of the case, comparing it with existing literature, highlighting unique aspects, and discussing implications for clinical practice.
Abstract Acceptance
Accepted case study abstracts will be poster only. Acceptance notifications will be sent out early August.
Note: Case study abstracts will not be considered for awards.
Proofread your submission carefully. If accepted, all abstracts are published as submitted.
If accepted, all abstracts are published as submitted. NO MODIFICATIONS are allowed after June 24, 2026 at 6:00 pm CT.
Pick a Primary and a Secondary Category:
Aldosterone, Receptors and Signal Transduction
Antihypertensive Drugs and Pharmacology
Artificial Intelligence/LLM
Blood Pressure Monitoring
BP Control and Adherence to Treatment
Cardiac Hypertrophy and Dysfunction
Cognition, Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke
Chronic Kidney Disease, Nitric Oxide Endothelin and Other Endothelial Factors
Clinical Trials in Hypertension and Related Morbidities
Diabetes, Lipids, Obesity, Nutrition, Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome
Sex Differences and Sex Hormones
Genetics, Epigenetics and Epidemiology
Hypertension and Aging
Microbiome, Infection and Hypertension
Neurogenic Mechanisms
Non-Pharmacological Therapy (Alternative Medicine; Nutrition/Diet; Physical Activity)
Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Immunity and Cytokines
Patient-Provider-Healthcare System Issues
Pediatric and Adolescent Hypertension
Pregnancy, Preeclampsia and Developmental Programming
Renal Hemodynamics, Tubular Transport, Salt, Renovascular Hypertension
Renin-Angiotensin System
Resistant Hypertension
Vascular Biology, Remodeling, Dysfunction, Stiffness
Looking for recommendations on how to improve your abstract? We highly recommend you view these recommendations from AHA journals.
The suggestions below are intended to provide guidance on abstract writing.
Title:
To the extent the data permits, make the title dynamic and conclusive, rather than descriptive. For example, "Hypoxia Inhibits Kv1.5 Channels in Rat Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells" is preferable to "Effects of Hypoxia on Kv1.5 Channels." Explicit titles denoting the findings should be used (not "Investigations of…," "Studies of…," etc.)
Use capitals for the first letter of each word as appropriate; do not capitalize the entire title. No periods. No abbreviations. Do not italicize entire title
Example:
This Is a Properly Formatted Title
Structure:
Abstracts should have the following identifiable sections: Introduction, Hypothesis, Methods, Results and Conclusions.
Category:
You may select up to two categories. The primary category being your first choice. Your choice of category determines which team reviews your abstract. Selecting the most appropriate category (ies) ensures that your abstract is evaluated blindly by experts who are familiar with the relevant scientific area. Additionally, abstracts are programmed thematically in either an oral or poster session based on category selection.
Common Mistakes:
- The abstract must contain a brief section on Methods/Methodology. It does not have to contain a hypothesis unless it is appropriate to do so.
- Failure to state a conclusion. We encourage a final sentence that says: "In conclusion…"
- Failure to state sample size. The reviewers want to assess the quality of the data – they need a mean SEM and a sample size.
- Excessive use of abbreviations. All but the most standard abbreviations should be defined, and most abstracts should have less than 3 abbreviations.
Traps to Avoid:
- Typographical errors
- References cited in the abstract
- Not providing context or a statement of relevance that provides the rationale for your study.
- Complex graphics. Simple line or bar graphs are most appropriate. Ensure the font size is adequately large on each axis to be visible. Check a printed version of the abstract before submitting.
- Duplicative work
Remember: Make sure your abstract is clear, concise, and follows all rules. Show your abstract to a colleague prior to submission and modify accordingly. A fresh pair of eyes will help spot any errors and will ensure the final package is ready for submission.
Abstract Awards
For all awards listed below, you must submit a scientific abstract to the Hypertension 2026 Scientific Sessions as well as all supporting award documentation via the conference's abstract submission site by the deadline. Please note: All materials must be submitted at the time of application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- June 24 at 6:00 p.m. CDT (-5 UTC) – Deadline to submit an abstract to Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026.
- June 30, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. (CDT) (-5 UTC) – The deadline to become an American Heart Association Professional Member with the Council on Hypertension or the Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease
To be eligible for the following awards, you must have an active AHA Professional Member with the Council on Hypertension or the Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease.
- Hypertension New Investigator Travel Awards – Sponsored by the Council on Hypertension
- Trainee Advocacy Committee New Investigator Travel Award – Sponsored by the Council on Hypertension Trainee Advocacy Committee
- Kidney Council New Investigator Travel Award – Sponsored by the Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease
- Award for Patient-Oriented or Clinical Research in Hypertension
- HTN/KCVD Council Travel Stipend (Abstract Required) – Supported by the Council on Hypertension and Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease
NEW! The Established Investigator Award for Clinical Hypertension, sponsored by Sky Labs, Inc., recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions in the field of hypertension research and innovation. One established investigator will receive an engraved plaque, $10,000.00 USD honorarium, complimentary registration to Hypertension Scientific Sessions, and one ticket to the Hypertension Annual Banquet.
Deadlines for Established Investigator Award for Clinical Hypertension:- June 24, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – You must have submitted an abstract to Hypertension Scientific Sessions.
- June 30, 2026 – Deadline to have an active AHA Professional Membership with the Council on Hypertension.
- July 3, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards System.
- August 2026 – Applicants are notified of their award status. Only those with an accepted abstract will be considered for selection.
The Stephanie Watts Career Development Award supports early career investigators working in hypertension and cardiovascular research who show exceptional promise but may be currently unfunded or have limited access to extramural funding. Up to three finalists will be invited to present their project pitch at Hypertension Scientific Sessions where judges will select the winner based on eligibility criteria, application materials, scientific merit and presentation quality.
Deadlines for Stephanie Watts Career Development Award:
- June 24, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. (CDT) Deadline to submit an abstract to Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026.
- July 3, 2026, 6:00 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for the Stephanie Watts Career Development Award in the Council Awards System.
Non-Abstract Awards and Lectures
Applications open April 1, 2026
To qualify for these Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026 awards, you must meet the following deadlines:
- June 30, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – Deadline for the applicant or nominee to have an active Professional Membership with the council sponsoring the award. Join or Renew
- July 3, 2026, 6 p.m. (CT) – Deadline to apply for this award in the Council Awards System.
Lifetime and Meritorious Achievement Awards sponsored by the Council on Hypertension
- Excellence Award for Hypertension Research
Scientists with a background in hypertension research and those who have made a meritorious scientific discovery or discoveries, either alone or with others, may be considered. - Irvine Page & Alva Bradley Lifetime Achievement Award
The recipient of this award must have had a career spanning at least 25 years.
Early Career Awards sponsored by the Council on Hypertension
Applicants must be active in research and still be in training as an undergraduate or pre-doctoral student, or student or be active in research and within 10 years of completing medical fellowship, terminal degree or highest certificate, as of the award application date.
- Fernando Elijovich Early Career Clinician Scientist Award
- Harry Goldblatt Award for New Investigators
Lectures and Mid-Career Achievement Awards sponsored by the Council on Hypertension
Applicants or Nominees may be PhDs and/or MDs who are still within 5–20 years after their first faculty appointment, as of the award application date.
- Arthur C. Corcoran Memorial Lecture
- Harriet Dustan Award
- HTN Mid-Career Award for Research Excellence
- Lewis K. Dahl Memorial Lecture
Lectures and Mid-Career Achievement Awards sponsored by the Council on the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease