Love Your Heart: A Cleveland Clinic Podcast

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) helps the heart pump blood and is a potential treatment option for people with heart failure. Dr. Michael Tong gives a brief history of how LVADs have evolved over the last few decades to be a durable solution for patients with advanced heart failure.

Dietary recommendations can be confusing. Having a heart condition can make it even more challenging. Dr. Amanda Vest, Section Head of Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology, has a special interest in making diet and nutrition choices easier for patients with heart failure. She talks about recommended dietary patterns and considerations for weight management.

Robotic heart surgery has many benefits when done by a skilled surgeon. Drs. Marc Gillinov and Tarek Malas answer the five questions you should think about if you are considering a robotic approach to valve surgery. 

Heart failure is a term to describe when your heart is not pumping as well as it should. Dr. Amanda Vest, Section Head of Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology, talks about how nutrition plays an important role in heart health. 

As blood travels through the heart, it passes through the aortic valve into the aorta. The aorta is the body’s main artery that carries blood to the body. Dr. Eric Roselli, Surgical Director of the Aorta Center, and Dr. Xiaoying Lou talk about how the aortic valve relates to the aorta.

Heart surgery is complex and requires expert surgeons. This becomes more challenging as more parts of the heart are involved or because of the health history of a patient.  Dr. Edward Soltesz and Dr. Anthony Zaki talk about what might make a patient considered high-risk, how that affects their surgical plan, and the benefit of a second opinion. Their advice: ask questions and be comfortable with the plan. 

The term "heart surgery" includes structures in the heart, but also connected to the heart. The aorta is the body’s main artery that carries blood to the rest of the body from your heart. Caring for your heart and the vessels around it requires a team approach. Dr. Eric Roselli, Surgical Director of the Aorta Center, speaks with Dr. Xiaoying Lou about her special interest in the aorta.

April is National Diversity Health Month. This year, the theme is Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. Dr. Lee Kirksey and Sherelle Tucker, Director of Community & Economic Development and Executive Administrator of the Center for Community Health Equity, discuss the importance of diversity in research and clinical trials and address some of the beliefs about participation. 

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of pregnancy complications. Dr. Deirdre Mattina provides an overview of high blood pressure (hypertension) in pregnancy and goals for management. 

Heart failure is a term to describe when your heart is not working as well as it should.  There are many myths and misconceptions around living with and managing heart failure. Dr. Amanda Vest, Section Head of Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology, helps sort heart failure myths from facts.