Love Your Heart: A Cleveland Clinic Podcast

An organ transplant changes your life forever. Natalie Salvatore, RN, speaks with Dr. Eileen Hsich, Medical Director for the Heart Transplant Program at Cleveland Clinic, about the basics for heart transplantation and her biggest piece of advice for patients and families.

Robotic heart surgery sounds like a thing of the future. It is important to know that your surgeon is still the one performing the surgery and he or she is using the robot as a tool. As you might imagine, this requires your surgeon to have a specific set of skills. Dr. Marc Gillinov, Chair of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, answers some common questions a...

In 2006, Cleveland Clinic performed its first transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Since then, the number of patients we treat has grown and how we care for this patient population has evolved. Dr. Samir Kapadia, Chairman of Cardiology, and Dr. Amar Krishnaswamy, Head of Interventional Cardiology, discuss how the care for patients having TAVR has changed and the benefit to going home the...

A Cleveland Clinic-led trial looked at the safety of testosterone replacement therapy for patients with documented low levels of testosterone. Dr. Steve Nissen discusses the results that testosterone-replacement therapy did not result in a higher rate of major adverse cardiac events for some patients. Although safe in the patient group studied, researchers still urge caution when considering testo...

Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating as usual then not eating for a set time period and may have some heart health benefits. Julia Zumpano, registered dietician with the Department of Preventative Cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic, answers "what is intermittent fasting?" and explains why it works for some people.

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a medical device that monitors your heart and can deliver an electric shock to correct life-threatening arrhythmia and prevent sudden cardiac arrest. Dr. Mohamed Kanj talks about the safety and risks of activity with an ICD and different arrhythmias. He reviews findings from research that helps guide how doctors care for active patients with ICDs.

A heart MRI is a painless, safe and noninvasive way for your healthcare provider to see detailed pictures of your heart. Cardiac MRI images show the parts of your heart and any damage to specific areas and also show how well your heart’s chambers and valves are working. Cardiac MRI is often a necessary diagnostic test for patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) but challenging...

Aortopathy refers to conditions that weaken your aorta, like aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. Dr. Vidyasagar Kalahasti, Director of the Marfan Syndrome and Connective Tissue Disorder Clinic and member of the Aorta Center, discusses causes of aortopathies, especially for people with genetic conditions or competitive athletes.

School may be out for the summer, but student athletes are still attending practices for the next season. Summertime also provides masters level athletes a chance to enjoy the nice weather while practicing their sport. Dr. Tamanna Singh hosts a panel discussion with Drs. Richard Figler, Thomas Callahan, and Michael Emery about screening and preparedness for potential life-threatening heart conditi...

Life after a cardiac event can be difficult to adjust to, especially if you are an athlete. The decision to return to play is important and must be made by weighing the risks and benefits. Dr. Michael Emery, Co-Director of the Sports Cardiology Center, talks about returning to play, what your doctor thinks about, and the shared decision-making process.

Being involved with a sport comes with a long list of things to do to get ready to play. One item on this list is a pre-participation cardiac screening. Dr. Tamanna Singh, Co-Director of the Sports Cardiology Center, talks about the value of pre-participation screening including a history and physical (H&P) and one common test, an electrocardiogram (EKG).

Patients have many questions about how to lower cholesterol and what to do after a high cholesterol diagnosis. Dr. Ashish Sarraju answers some of these common questions including why fasting before your test is important, what all of the different tests tell your doctor and what you can do to help your heart.

Have you ever wondered what your surgeon thinks about when they are deciding if you need an operation? Dr. Lars Svensson and Dr. Marijan Koprivanac discuss all things aorta, such as your past medical history, current health, and how your surgeon looks to the future to provide the best options for you.

Eating healthy can be tricky. Food labels can be challenging to read and understand. Dr. Stan Hazen and Dr. Wilson Tang recently spoke about erythritol and the link to heart health. Natalie Salvatore, RN and Julia Zumpano talk about more about food choices and how to spot artificial sweeteners.

Lymphedema and Lipedema sound very similar. Not only do they sound similar, but they can look similar too. Dr. Doug Joseph and Dr. John Bartholomew talk about what is the same and what is different between the two.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a chronic circulatory condition, which if not treated, can lead to limb amputations. PAD affects nearly 20 million Americans. An estimated 200,000 people, disproportionately from minority communities, suffer avoidable amputations every year. Dr. Scott Cameron, Section Head for Vascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, hosts a 2-part, multidisciplinary panel discussi...

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a chronic circulatory condition, which, if not treated, can lead to limb amputations. PAD affects nearly 20 million Americans. An estimated 200,000 people, disproportionately from minority communities, suffer avoidable amputations every year. Dr. Scott Cameron, Section Head for Vascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, hosts a 2-part, multidisciplinary panel discuss...

Sugar-free diets and foods are a popular choice for people trying to watch calories and blood sugar, but are the alternatives safe? Dr. Stanley Hazen and Dr. Wilson Tang discuss one artificial sweetener, erythritol, from their recent study. They also provide tips for healthy grocery shopping.

The aorta, the main artery that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body, can become damaged and weak, causing it to become wider (aneurysm) or torn (dissection). Dr. Lars Svensson and Dr. Patrick Vargo discuss surgical options for repairing the aorta.

A pacemaker is a device put inside the body to help support the electrical system of the heart. Sometimes, allergic reactions can happen because of a compound in the device. Drs. Tom Callahan and Bruce Wilkoff from electrophysiology talk to Dr. John Anthony, Dermatology and Dr. James Taylor, Clinical Professor of Dermatology about what to do if someone has an allergy but needs a lifesaving device.

A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) occurs when air gets inside the chest cavity (outside the lung) and creates pressure against the lung which can make it hard to breathe. Natalie Salvatore, RN speaks with Dr. Alejandro Bribriesco, thoracic surgeon, about how doctors care for patients with a collapsed lung.

For patients with heart valve disease who need a replacement, the choice between a bioprostetic (tissue) or mechanical valve can be challenging. Dr. Marc Gillinov, Chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, explains the good, the bad, and the ugly for each type of valve.

To celebrate Heart Month, Cleveland Clinic conducted a survey and found out about Americans' thoughts on heart healthy diets. People said they believe low fat (37 percent) and low carb diet (35 percent) to be heart healthy. Only 15 percent said the Mediterranean diet, which has the most evidence of benefits for heart health. Dr. Dennis Bruemmer and Julia Zumpano, RD discuss these different di...

February is Heart Month! American diets are notoriously unhealthy for your heart, but why? Cleveland Clinic conducted a survey to find out the most common barriers to a heart healthy diet. Natalie Salvatore, RN and Julia Zumpano, RD talk about some of the responses about why eating healthy is so hard.

Lymphedema is swelling that happens when something affects your lymphatic system. When your lymphatic system doesn’t work well, your body accumulates fluid and may begin to swell. Dr. Doug Joseph, one of the medical directors of the multi-disciplinary lymphedema clinic, provides an overview of lymphedema including diagnosis and treatment options.