In this interview, we discuss:

-What is integrative cardiology and how does it differ from conventional cardiology? -How many people have heart disease today? Is this number growing? -How do women differ when it comes to heart disease...risk, management, and even symptoms of heart problems? -Which lab screening tests do you use for heart disease? -What is advanced lipid testing (ex. apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein(a), CRP, small dense LDL) are best for predicting heart disease risk? -Which imaging studies are best for diagnosing heart disease? -What are the pros and cons of pharmaceutical therapy? -Are statin medications bad for us? How are statin medication best managed when necessary? -How do lifestyle approaches, such as diet, sleep, exercise, affect our risk for heart disease? Which diet is best to prevent or manage heart disease? -Do mind-body approaches, like meditation and yoga, affect blood pressure and/or heart disease risk? -What 3 things can we all do RIGHT NOW to make our hearts healthier?

Vivian A. Kominos, MD, FACC, a nationally recognized clinician and educator in integrative cardiology, is a graduate of St Louis University School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency and cardiology fellowship at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in her home state of New Jersey. She is board certified in both Integrative Medicine and Cardiology. She has practiced cardiology for over 35 years and has concentrated on integrative medicine and integrative cardiology for the past 15 years. She is Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (AWCIM) where she completed her integrative medicine fellowship in 2007. She is a founding member of the American Board of Integrative Medicine where she served as vice chair and remained an active board member until 2020.Besides being a mentor for the AWCIM fellowship, she is intimately involved in the fellowship educational curricula, authoring modules on topics ranging from cardiovascular health and disease to nutrition, mind body medicine, and obesity. She is a speaker and educator for her peers, medical students and residents, nurses, allied health professionals and the community. She enjoys volunteering at the Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank, New Jersey. She loves running, kayaking, cooking and spending time with family and friends. Her greatest joy is her 2 1/2 year old granddaughter