Heart Health-Prevention

"Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital is an engine of original prevention ideas," says Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, President of Mount Sinai Heart and Physician-in-Chief of The Mount Sinai Hospital. "With our outstanding team of clinicians and scientists, we are in the best position to lead the charge in fighting cardiovascular disease."

Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital is dedicated to ending the threat of cardiovascular disease locally and globally. Our top cardiologists provide comprehensive diagnostic assessment and aggressive treatment using revolutionary technology. Our physician scientists are pioneers in research designed to treat heart disease and prevent its occurrence.

Our cardiovascular imaging center features the newest and most advanced diagnostic equipment available, and our doctors are experts at performing and interpreting imaging tests. We have developed a way to combine magnetic resonance imaging and positron electron tomography in one room. Using the technologies together helps us detect disease earlier, when it's easier to treat.

"This technique is helping us track and pinpoint plaque formation, and that leads to earlier detection, earlier diagnosis, and better treatments," says Zahi A. Fayad, PhD, Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute.

Partnering With Your Cardiologist

The doctor-patient relationship is key to preventing, diagnosing, and treating heart disease. At Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, our physicians carefully weigh every option, taking into consideration your physical, emotional, cultural, and social needs. Our doctors treat you as a person, not just a heart disease case. We learn about your preferences and help you make heart-healthy choices.

Our cardiologists work collaboratively and we have an extensive roster of experienced cardiologists with a wide variety of specialties. Our staff includes:

• Interventional cardiologists, who perform cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, angiograms, and stents
• Electrophysiologists, who diagnose and treat heart rhythm disorders
• Pediatric cardiologists, who focus on children and adults with congenital heart disorders
• Pediatric cardiovascular surgeons, who perform surgery on children and adults with congenital heart diseases
• Cardiac surgeons, who do open-heart and minimally invasive surgery

As a full-service academic heart center, we have everything under one roof: a world-renowned imaging center, subspecialists who focus on specific conditions, support services for families, and patient after-care.

A Proactive Approach

At Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, we believe in preventing heart disease whenever possible. By individualizing care at three distinct age ranges, we can provide the most effective education and treatment for that stage, bearing in mind individual needs and circumstances.

• Ages 0 to 25, before you experience much, if any cardiovascular disease. Between ages 3 to 5, we can emphasize developing heart-healthy behaviors, including diet, exercise, and emotional habits to avoid addiction.
• Ages 25 to 50, when we are most apt to detect early signs of heart disease.  During this period, preferably before age 40, we can administer non-invasive diagnostic tests to detect potential future problems and address them early.
• Ages 50+, when cardiovascular disease has often begun. At this point, we can consider not only the specific problem that is presenting, but look more broadly at the cardiovascular system in assessing appropriate treatment and prevention, including the neurovascular region.

This approach should result in more outpatient care and shorter hospital stays. It requires that cardiologists and other health care professionals know more about ambulatory and home-based care.