Although the skeptical cardiologist questions the value of many procedures and diagnostic tests in cardiology, he remains an enthusiastic advocate of the use of coronary artery calcium (CAC) testing to better personalize each individual’s risk of heart attack and stroke. You can read all about how the test is performed and why it is so ... Read more ..read more

The skeptical cardiologist first mentioned the Watchman left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) device in a cynical post on advertising for medical devices and drugs that I experienced at the American College of Cardiology meeting in 2018. I thought it would be ironic to get my picture taken inside the heart grasping the catheter and plugging ... Read more ..read more

I’m often asked by new patients why I call myself the skeptical cardiologist. Some are concerned that a skeptical attitude may not be the best one in their physician. But the scientific bases of medicine have advanced primarily due to skeptics; individuals who questioned the conventional wisdom that had become entrenched dogma. Andreas Vesalius established the ... Read more ..read more

Preventive cardiologists have a wonderful tool for noninvasively identifying plaque (atherosclerosis) in the arteries to the heart: the coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan. Since 1/3 of Americans die from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD, mostly heart attacks and strokes) and dropping dead is often the first symptom of ASCVD, it is incredibly important to identify early, ... Read more ..read more

Many readers have asked what the skeptical cardiologist thinks about a unique and interesting addition to the personal cardiovascular monitoring space that offers long-term ECG monitoring to individuals without a prescription. One reader, George Hody, MD, turns out to have considerable experience with the Wellue Heart Health Monitor, therefore I asked him if he’d be ... Read more ..read more

A recent trial of testosterone therapy has garnered much attention on social and mainstream media and caught the eye of the skeptical cardiologist. Published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, the trial enrolled over 5000 men with symptoms of hypogonadism and testosterone levels <300 ng/L. Patients were randomly assigned to receive daily transdermal ... Read more ..read more

In 2015 a landmark NIH-sponsored trial looking at outcomes when hypertensive patients (aged >50 years) were randomized to treatment to a higher versus a lower blood pressure goal called the SPRINT trial was completed.  The data from this trial were so compelling the scientists tasked with monitoring them halted the trial and the NIH issued a ... Read more ..read more

For the last several weeks I’ve been wearing a small, unobtrusive bracelet on my right wrist which has been silently monitoring my blood pressure on a regular basis. Based on my initial evaluation and given the extensive validation the company has performed I believe this device has the potential to transform the management of hypertension. ... Read more ..read more

In 2019 (on National Coffee Day!) the skeptical cardiologist revealed that he was a coffee snob and addict. Despite my love of coffee, as a scientist, I try to approach the health benefits or harms of coffee drinking from a neutral perspective. A new study on coffee has stirred up the media, the Twitterverse, and ... Read more ..read more

A few days after turning 69 the skeptical cardiologist walked into the Magadalena Ecke YMCA and began a program called EGYM. I’d seen banners advertising this program and was intrigued to try out this “comprehensive training option that takes the guesswork out of exercise.” Although I’d love to take the guess-work out of pretty much ... Read more ..read more