Cardiac Consult: A Cleveland Clinic Podcast for Healthcare Professionals

A Cleveland Clinic-led trial found that testosterone-replacement therapy did not result in a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events in middle-aged and older men with hypogonadism (also known as low testosterone) who also had preexisting or a high risk of cardiovascular disease. However, researchers still urge caution when considering testosterone therapy. Dr. Steve Nissen discusses the results of the TRAVERSE trial.

Thomas Callahan, MD, electrophysiologist and Co-Director, Lead Extraction Program, discusses the incidence of sudden cardiac death in athletic populations. Dr. Callahan reviews how often SCD occurs in athletes, the etiology and survival, drawing from studies in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom and France.

Aortopathies can have implications for patients who are athletes. Sagar Kalahasti, MD, Director of the Marfan Syndrome and Connective Tissue Disorder Clinic and member of the Aorta Center, discusses etiologies and evaluation of aortopathies in the athletic heart.

Cleveland Clinic is dedicated to providing a world-class experience to students, residents, and fellows. Frank Caputo, MD, Program Director of the Vascular Surgery Training Programs and staff vascular surgeon in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, highlights benefits of the vascular surgery program, including tools, opportunities and leadership roles.

Life after a cardiac event can be difficult for patients to adjust to, especially for athletes. The decision to return to play is important and must be made by weighing the risks and benefits for each person. Michael Emery, MD, Co-Director of the Sports Cardiology Center, talks about considerations for return to play and the shared decision-making process.

Ayman Hussein, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist renowned for his expertise in atrial fibrillation ablation, delves into the intricacies of single-shot radiofrequency techniques. He discusses the challenges of RF catheter navigation and highlights innovations like the phased RF circular catheters and their clinical outcomes. Hussein also covers the safety concerns around silent cerebral emboli and recalls the N-Contact/N-Mark catheter due to complications. He introduces the Heliostar RF balloon system and reviews early trial results, emphasizing the need for further research.

Pre-participation evaluation is a useful tool for evaluating athletes for cardiovascular risks. Tamanna Singh, MD, provides an overview of different modalities to evaluate a patient with an athletic heart.

An overview from session moderator Leben Tefera, MD, case presented by Muhammad Khalid, MD, Scott Cameron, MD, PhD, provides background on PERTs and outcomes, and Karen Hurley, PhD, discusses psychological care and follow for Acute PE performed.

"Although statins play a pivotal role in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, many patients fail to achieve recommended lipid levels due to statin-associated muscle symptoms." The CLEAR Outcomes trial evaluated the effect of bempedoic acid on cardiovascular events in patients with statin intolerance. Steve Nissen, MD, Chief Academic Officer of Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute, provides a summary of this trial.

John Rickard, MD, provides an overview of integrated care for the HF device patient, the CRT-CHF Clinic.