Biological Age and Other AI Tools in Preventive Cardiology

Guest: Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.B.A. (@CVDprevention)

Host: Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D. (@DrSteveKopecky)

Vascular age is impacted by factors that determine the aging of the vascular system — the heart, arteries and veins. These factors might predispose people to develop heart attacks, peripheral vascular disease or strokes.

Joining us today to discuss efforts to better describe and measure vascular age is Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.B.A., chair of Preventive Cardiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Specific topics discussed:

• The concept of vascular age explained
• Use of electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine vascular age
• Recommendations to reduce or reverse patients' vascular age
• Use of ECG to identify conditions it was not originally intended to identify
• Future impact of artificial intelligence in medicine

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast episode transcript found here.

Cardiac Involvement in COVID-19

Guest: Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D. (@pattypellikka)

Host: Paul A. Friedman, M.D. (@drpaulfriedman)

Early reports from Wuhan, China, noted that patients with underlying cardiovascular disease had a higher risk of morbidity and mortality if they contracted the COVID-19 virus. More recently, data support that patients with evidence of cardiac disease during their COVID-19 episodes also have higher rates of morbidity and mortality during hospitalization for treatment of COVID-19.

Joining us today to discuss the cardiac involvement in patients with COVID-19 is Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D., vice chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Specific topics discussed:

• Significance of cardiac involvement in patients with COVID-19
• Diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction in patients with COVID-19
• Myocarditis and other cardiac injury in patients with COVID-19
• Implications of MRI-identified myocarditis
• COVID-19 long-haulers and cardiac evaluation
• Artificial intelligence in electrocardiogram or echocardiogram

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast episode transcript here.

The Patient with Early Atherosclerotic Disease-What to Do, What Not to Do

Guest: Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.B.A. (@CVDprevention)

Host: Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D. (@DrSteveKopecky)

Many people have a family history of atherosclerotic disease — heart attacks, strokes or blockages in the body's arteries caused by cholesterol plaques. If atherosclerosis occurs at an early age or affects multiple family members, or if the family history includes sudden death, there is cause for concern.

Joining us today to discuss family history of early atherosclerotic disease and its impact on cardiovascular health is Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.B.A., chair of Preventive Cardiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Specific topics discussed:

• Concerns generated by a family history of atherosclerosis
• Genetic markers for atherosclerotic disease
• Impact of genes vs. lifestyle on the likelihood of atherosclerosis
• When and how to conduct genetic testing
• Treatment for peripheral arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease
• What not to do for patients with atherosclerosis

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast transcript available here.

Is red meat bad for your heart?

Guest: Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D. (@DrSteveKopecky)

Host: Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., M.B.A. (@CVDprevention)

The U.S. has some of the highest red meat consumption per capita of any country in the world. A controversial 2019 Annals of Internal Medicine article encouraged red meat consumption and came to the conclusion that people do not need to reduce red meat intake, but the recommendation isn't as straightforward as it seems.

Joining us today to discuss research on red meat consumption and its impact on cardiovascular health is Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D., a consultant in Preventive Cardiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and a professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Specific topics discussed:

• Key points from the 2019 Annals of Internal Medicine article
• Unprocessed and processed meats and their impact on cardiovascular health
• Red meat consumption study limitations and implications
• Saturated vs. unsaturated fats and their relation to dietary variables
• Recommendation: moderation (3 ounces a day)

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Episode transcript found here.

Pregnancy-Related and Other Women Specific Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Guest: Rekha Mankad, M.D. (@RMankadMD)

Host: Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D. (@DrSteveKopecky)

Data supports that women's risk of heart disease has been underrecognized — women are dying of heart disease at increasingly higher rates. Women have the same regular risk factors as men, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking, but there are some additional female-specific risk factors.

Joining us today to discuss pregnancy and cardiovascular risk is Rekha Mankad, M.D., a noninvasive cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, with special interest in heart disease in women.

Specific topics discussed:

• Guidelines that address women's risk factors for heart disease
• Complications related to menopause and pregnancy
• Impact of diabetes on heart disease in women
• Preventive screening and risk assessment
• Autoimmune diseases and heart disease in women
• Impact of marriage on women's risk of heart disease

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast transcript can be found here.

Atrial Fibrillation and Underestimation of Aortic Stenosis Severity

Guest: Vuyisile T. Nkomo, M.D., M.P.H.

Host: Malcolm R. Bell, M.D.

Aortic valve stenosis is common in the general population. Echocardiography is the primary tool used for assessing the severity of the disease. In patients with atrial fibrillation, however, Doppler echocardiography may underestimate the severity of aortic valve stenosis, resulting in the potential for grave consequences.

Joining us today to discuss optimal diagnoses of the severity of aortic valve stenosis in patients with atrial fibrillation is Vuyisile T. Nkomo, M.D., M.P.H., a professor of medicine with joint appointments in the Structural Heart Disease Program and Division of Cardiovascular Ultrasound at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Specific topics discussed:

• Echocardiogram Doppler criteria for diagnosing the severity of aortic valve stenosis
• Hierarchy in the guidelines for diagnosis
• Aortic valve stenosis in patients with atrial fibrillation, normal sinus rhythm, or both
• Arrhythmia's impact on Doppler signals
• Next steps when aortic valve stenosis is suspected — and the implications of underestimating disease severity

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast episode transcript here.

Cardiac sarcoidosis — When to Suspect and How to Diagnose

Guest: Omar F. Abou Ezzeddine, M.D., C.M., M.S. (@abouezzeddine)

Host: Paul A. Friedman, M.D. (@DrPaulFriedman)

Cardiac sarcoidosis is difficult to diagnose. It may present with no symptoms and a coincidental ECG finding or with symptoms that are common to most people, such as fatigue and occasional palpitations. Patients may present with minimal clinical cardiac symptoms. Multimodality imaging, in conjunction with clinical history, is required for diagnosis; other, more common diseases should be ruled out before diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis.

Joining us today to discuss cardiac sarcoidosis is Omar F. Abou Ezzeddine, M.D., C.M., M.S., director of the Cardiac Sarcoidosis Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and a cardiologist with expertise in nuclear imaging.

Specific topics discussed:

• Sarcoidosis and cardiac sarcoid defined
• When to suspect sarcoidosis
• Symptoms and the diagnostic cascade for sarcoid
• FDG-PET, MRI and hybrid PET-MRI
• Treatment options

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast transcript can be found here.

The Future of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Guest: Randal J. Thomas, M.D. (@DrRandalThomas)

Host: Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D. (@DrSteveKopecky)

Cardiac rehabilitation is a Class 1 recommendation for a number of cardiovascular conditions. The benefits are many — and evidence is mounting that supports improved short- and long-term outcomes for patients, whether they participate in center-based or home-based cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Joining us today to discuss the current benefits and challenges of cardiovascular rehabilitation is Randal J. Thomas, M.D., director of the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Specific topics discussed:

• Benefits and challenges of cardiac rehabilitation program participation
• Systematic approaches that improve participation rates
• Provider and patient education required
• Emerging solutions including personalized, home-based programs

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on Twitter @MayoClinicCV.

No CME credit offered for this episode.

Podcast transcript can be found here.