FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Newswise — The heart is a vital organ, and when issues such as congenital heart conditions, high blood pressure or a heart attack arise, they can be life-threatening.
Heart disease, which refers to several types of heart conditions, is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack (blood flowing to the heart is suddenly severely decreased or blocked).
In children, congenital heart conditions are the most common types of birth defects, and they can be deadly. Studies show congenital heart conditions affect nearly 1% of births — about 40,000 — each year in the U.S. Children can also develop high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks later in life.
For both adults and children, physical activity is important; however, there are often questions about potential risks related to heart health, particularly when it comes to playing sports.
February is American Heart Month, a time for awareness of heart-related conditions that affect adults and children.
Johns Hopkins Medicine experts are available all month to discuss various aspects of heart health.
Adults and Heart Health
Lili Barouch, M.D. Director, Sports Cardiology Program Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty topics: sports cardiology, heart disease, congestive heart failure, preventive cardiology, peripartum cardiomyopathy
Ari Cedars, M.D. Director, Adult Congenital Heart Disease, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty topics: adult congenital heart disease from childhood to adulthood, general cardiology
Stacy Fisher, M.D. Associate Director, Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty topics: adult congenital heart disease, heart disease in pregnancy, pulmonary hypertension, general cardiology Seth Martin, M.D., M.H.S. Director, Advanced Lipid Disorders Program and Digital Health Lab,
Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty topics: heart disease prevention, general cardiology, digital heart health, high cholesterol, risk factor modification and stratification, stress testing, chest pain, coronary artery disease
Francoise Marvel, M.D. Co-director, Johns Hopkins Digital Health Lab, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Specialty topics: digital heart health, internal medicine, general cardiology
Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Specialty topics: cardiac rehabilitation, exercise after a heart attack, general cardiology
Director, Cardio-Obstetrics Program, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Specialty topics: cardio-obstetrics, women and maternal health, cardiovascular disease in women, preventive and general cardiology
Children and Heart Health
Ashish Doshi, M.D., Ph.D. Interim Director, Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac MRI, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Specialty topics: pediatric cardiology, congenital heart disease, cardiovascular imaging (including echocardiography and cardiac MRI), pediatric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Danielle Gottlieb Sen, M.D., M.P.H., M.S. Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon and Director, Pediatric Surgery Quality and Outcomes Data, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Director, Pediatric Cardiac Research, and Assistant Professor of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Specialty topics: pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric congenital heart disease, pediatric heart transplant
Shelby Kutty, M.D., Ph.D., M.S. Director, Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology and Co-director, Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Helen B. Taussig Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Specialty topics: pediatric cardiology, congenital heart disease, cardiovascular imaging
Bret Mettler, M.D. Director, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and Co-director, Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Vincent L. Gott, M.D., Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Specialty topics: pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric congenital heart disease, pediatric heart transplant
William Ravekes, M.D. Medical Director, Pediatric Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Specialty topics: pediatric cardiology, congenital heart disease, fetal cardiology, fetal echocardiography, pediatric heart failure, pediatric heart transplant
John Thomson, Ph.D., M.B.B.S. Director, Cardiac Catheterization, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Specialty topics: pediatric cardiology, congenital heart disease, pediatric cardiac catheterization and cardiovascular interventions