At Yale Medicine, our cardiovascular physicians specialize in all types of heart conditions. Our expert teams focus on heart-related health issues, such as heart disease genetics, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, heart and blood vessel conditions, and heart transplants. Our cardiologists do more than just see patients; they also conduct research to learn more about the complexities of various heart diseases and investigate better ways to treat them. Through their work in five research centers at Yale our cardiologists participate in major research initiatives focused on all aspects of heart health. Our research teams are comprised of experts from all over the world—eight different countries and four continents, to be exact! Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Adult congenital heart disease Arrhythmia Cardiac imaging Cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure Coronary heart disease General cardiology (including stress tests and holter monitoring) Peripheral vascular heart disease Vascular heart disease

Our highly skilled cardiologists expertly treat and diagnose heart failure—a chronic, progressive condition in which the heart muscle can’t pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. In addition to caring for cardiac patients at Yale New Haven Hospital, we provide treatment to the rapidly growing number of outpatients living with heart failure in the community. We treat each patient with a personalized plan, carefully monitoring medications on an ongoing basis while minding other issues that affect cardiac health. We also educate patients and their families about lifestyle changes, prescribe and oversee exercise rehabilitation programs, and facilitate communication between the many professionals involved in outpatient care. Our physicians work as part of a multidisciplinary team to offer patients comprehensive care with the goal of prolonging their life and improving its quality. Treatment options may include medications, short- or long-term mechanical support, or heart transplant. Before treatment begins, we perform cardiac diagnostic procedures, such as stress tests, catheterization, and biopsies. We collaborate with cardiac-trained radiologists to provide noninvasive imaging studies including positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 2D and 3D electrocardiography. At the Center for Advanced Heart Failure at Yale New Haven Hospital, we treat the full continuum of heart failure and offer a variety of medical and surgical treatment options. The center cares for patients with an LVAD (left ventricular assist device), a battery-operated mechanical pump that is surgically implanted and helps maintain the heart’s pumping ability when it can’t work effectively on its own. This is the only long-term mechanical circulatory support for patients otherwise ineligible for heart transplant. Our surgeons regularly perform heart transplants and LVAD implantations, and our heart transplant survival and post-LVAD rates are among the best in the region.

Sometimes, an athlete—seemingly in peak physical condition—experiences sudden cardiac arrest on the playing field due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Yale Medicine’s Sports Cardiology Program is dedicated to preventing such tragedies through comprehensive screening, evaluation, and management of cardiovascular disease in athletes. The Sports Cardiology Program brings a multidisciplinary approach to the identification and treatment of potentially life-threatening cardiac abnormalities in athletes. The program provides two distinct services: Pre-participation screening of college and university athletes to detect any potential abnormalities before they compete Consultation and care for athletes of any age who either have known cardiovascular disease or who have symptoms that could be related to cardiovascular disease Yale Medicine specialists begin with an electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the electrical activity of the heart, to check for a variety of cardiac conditions. When screening college and university athletes, Yale experts interpret the ECG, offer recommendations for follow-up care, if needed, and work closely with the school to monitor and advise the athlete going forward. Yale physicians have been performing ECG screenings for Yale University athletes since 2015. With the launch of the Sports Cardiology Program, Yale Medicine is now performing screenings for athletes at three local universities, as well as the Connecticut Whale women’s professional hockey team. In addition to a pre-participation screening of college athletes, the Sports Cardiology Program provides ongoing clinical care for athletes of any age (including children) who have a known cardiac condition or symptoms that may indicate cardiac abnormalities, such as passing out or palpitations. In both cases, the goal is to develop an effective diagnosis, treatment, and management strategy for the athlete and provide recommendations on whether and how the athlete can safely participate in competitive sports. The foundation of Yale Medicine’s program is its multidisciplinary approach to these issues. A team of experts from many specialty areas works together to provide comprehensive, integrated services and holistic care for athletes. The program’s director, Rachel Lampert, MD , is a sports cardiologist, electrophysiologist, and arrhythmia specialist who frequently writes and speaks on preventing sudden cardiac arrest in athletes. Dr. Lampert has conducted extensive research in this area, including studies on whether athletes with implanted defibrillators can safely participate in sports. The Sports Cardiology Program also features imaging teams that use highly specialized diagnostic tools such as cardiac MRIs and echocardiography. The team also includes experts in adult and pediatric arrhythmia, cardiac channelopathies, cardiomyopathy, genetic cardiovascular diseases, and more. In addition, Dr. Lampert and her team frequently partner with Yale’s Sports Medicine Pro