When the ASPC was founded in 1985, its members were physicians and educators, including frequent recipients of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Preventive Cardiology Academic Award (PCAA). The organization's goals were developing programs that enhanced basic and clinical education and initiating or expanding interdisciplinary clinical services and research initiatives in preventive cardiology.
In recent years, the ASPC's focus shifted from acting as an insular organization of academic experts to one with a focused vision of the interdisciplinary value it can bring to the broader healthcare and scientific community. The ASPC currently represents the increasingly multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers (including nurses, nurse practitioners, dieticians, and other healthcare specialists in addition to physicians) along with researchers and industry representatives who share an interest in and passion for preventive cardiology.