Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (or NHLBI) is a division of the National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland. It is tasked with allocating about $2.7 billion in United States tax revenue per year (fiscal year 2004 estimate), to advancing the understanding of: development and progression of disease, diagnosis of disease, treatment of disease, disease prevention, reduction of health care disparities within the American population, and advancing the effectiveness of the U.S. medical system. The current Acting Director is Susan Shurin, M.D.. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders. Since October 1997, the NHLBI has also had administrative responsibility for the NIH Woman''s Health Initiative.