Thomas C. Gerber, a preventive cardiologist from Mayo Clinic, discusses vital pharmacologic options to enhance heart health. He explores the role of medications, like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors, while addressing statin intolerance. Gerber also evaluates the efficacy of supplements such as CoQ10 and fish oil, revealing limited benefits. Additionally, he highlights tailored treatment plans for blood pressure and lipid management and delves into the importance of imaging for assessing heart risk. This episode is a goldmine for understanding heart health strategies!

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Thomas C. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D. The heart is an amazing organ. At rest, the average heart beats approximately 4500 times per hour, slightly over 100,000 times per day. It’s quite a reliable organ and unlike our kidneys, lungs and eyes, we only have one heart. We expect a lot from it, if it stops working for even a minute, everything else in our body shuts down. Like an automobile engine, it runs longer and better if it’s well cared for. What can we recommend to our patients and what can we do for ourselves to keep the heart healthy? My guest for today’s podcast is Thomas C. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D., a preventive cardiologist from the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic and we’re going to discuss preventive strategies to maintain a healthy heart. For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Jeffrey B. Geske, M.D. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects 1 in 500 adults or about 600,000 individuals in the U.S. and represents the most common inherited cardiomyopathy.  It often goes undetected, and it’s estimated that about 85% of those with the condition remain undiagnosed. HCM can produce a variety of symptoms, the most serious being sudden death. The topic for this podcast is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.  What are the clues that might make us suspect a patient has HCM and how should we confirm the diagnosis? Are we able to prevent sudden death in patients with the condition and finally, what is the most effective treatment? I’ll asking these questions of my guest, Jeffrey B. Geske, M.D., from the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at Mayo Clinic. For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.S. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States as well as globally. It’s estimated that over 700,000 individuals in the U.S. die annually from some form of cardiac conditions, most often coronary heart disease.  Cardiac rehabilitation is often recommended to our patients who have a variety of cardiac health problems, and it’s intended to improve this mortality rate. But what exactly is cardiac rehabilitation? Who’s a candidate for it? Who’s qualified to supervise a cardiac rehab program and has it been proven to reduce mortality? I’ll be getting answers to these questions as we discuss “Cardiac Rehabilitation”. My guest for this podcast is Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.S., a preventive cardiologist from the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic. For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Sandra J. Taler, M.D. Hypertension is an extremely common health problem, affecting at least half of all adults in the United States. Since it’s typically asymptomatic, a significant number of individuals are unaware that they have the condition. In those who are aware of the diagnosis, the majority have blood pressures that are not adequately controlled. Once we’ve established that a patient has hypertension and needs treatment, how should we start? What are effective lifestyle changes? When is pharmacologic therapy indicated and what are the recommended medications for the initial management of hypertension? We’ll be discussing these topics and more as we review the topic “Lowering Blood Pressure”. My guest for this podcast is nephrologist and hypertension specialist Sandra J. Taler, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic. For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Sharonne N. Hayes, M.D. We tend to think of heart disease as a health problem for men, yet it’s the leading cause of death for women in the United States and is responsible for over 1/3 of all deaths in women each year, more than all malignancies combined. Women tend to have more atypical symptoms and often delay seeking help when they have symptoms. As clinicians, we need to realize that we commonly underdiagnose heart disease in women. How do the symptoms of heart disease differ in women compared to men? Do women have different cardiovascular disease risk factors than men? And as health care clinicians, what do we need to do to be more aware of heart disease in our female patients? I’ll be asking these questions of my guest for this podcast as we discuss “Heart Disease in Women”. My guest is Sharonne N. Hayes, M.D., a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic. For more information on heart health, check out Mayo Clinic Talks: Heart Health | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Chris R. Stephenson, M.D., M.H.P.E. Some patients about to have a surgical procedure will have a preoperative assessment completed by the anesthesiologist on the day of the surgery. However, in many cases, patients are having an evaluation at a perioperative clinic, well prior to their procedure. Although this results in an additional visit for the patient, there are advantages to this approach. Benefits include improvements in hospital efficiency, cost savings from shorter hospital stays and more appropriate use of laboratory tests. So, what does a perioperative assessment consist of? Do they assist the surgeon in their postoperative management of the patient, and does it result in better clinical outcomes? This podcast will address the perioperative medical assessment, and these are some of the questions I’ll be asking my guest, Chris R. Stephenson, M.D., M.H.P.E., from the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Connect with Mayo Clinic Podcasts | Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development 

Hosts: Sanj Kakar, M.D. and Dawn Marie R. Davis, M.D. Guests: Rosanne M. Boser and Jonathan L. Verhelst, CFP(R) Financial solvency and independence are relevant for all individuals, though physicians have unique aspects to financial health due to a long training period, education expenses, and lack of formal financial instruction. On today’s podcast, we discuss the most common conundrums physicians face regarding financial literacy and financial well-being. Learn more at https://ce.mayo.edu/online-education/content/mayo-clinic-podcasts 

Hosts: Sanj Kakar, M.D. and Dawn Marie R. Davis, M.D. Guests: Rosanne M. Boser and Jonathan L. Verhelst, CFP(R) Financial solvency and independence are relevant for all individuals, though physicians have unique aspects to financial health due to a long training period, education expenses, and lack of formal financial instruction. On today’s podcast, we discuss the most common conundrums physicians face regarding financial literacy and financial well-being. Be sure to listen to Part 2 of this topic airing this Thursday, January 23, 2025! Learn more at https://ce.mayo.edu/online-education/content/mayo-clinic-podcasts 

Hosts: Sanj Kakar, M.D. and Dawn Marie R. Davis, M.D. Guests: Sophie J. Bakri, M.D., Amy S. Oxentenko, M.D. and Charanjit S. Rihal, M.D. Healthcare takes a village, not only to care for patients, but also to maximize one’s potential as a physician. On today’s podcast, we will discuss the importance of mentorship and sponsorship for professional and personal growth and success. Learn more at https://ce.mayo.edu/online-education/content/mayo-clinic-podcasts