Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME

The Athlete’s Heart Paradox: Managing Arrythmias at Peak Performance

 

Guest: Guru Kowlgi, M.D.
Host: Anthony Kashou, M.D.

 

Exercise is one of the best prescriptions for cardiovascular health—but can there be too much of a good thing? In highly trained athletes, years of intensive exercise can produce electrical, autonomic, and structural changes that may increase susceptibility to arrhythmias, while in other cases exercise may uncover an underlying cardiac condition. Dr. Guru Kowlgi discusses how clinicians can distinguish normal adaptations of the athlete’s heart from warning signs that warrant further evaluation, including exertional syncope, declining performance, and increasingly complex ventricular arrhythmias. He also explores individualized treatment strategies, from medications to catheter ablation, and the growing role of shared decision-making when determining whether an athlete can safely return to competition. Finally, the discussion puts sudden cardiac death in athletes into perspective and highlights the importance of both identifying those at increased risk and being prepared with CPR and rapid access to AEDs when unexpected cardiac arrest occurs.

 

Topics discussed:

• Why can sustained, high-level endurance training increase the risk of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation in some athletes?
• Which rhythm findings are normal adaptations of the athlete’s heart, and which symptoms or arrhythmias should raise concern?
• How can arrhythmias be treated while preserving an athlete’s ability to exercise, compete, and maintain performance?
• When might catheter ablation be preferable to medication for athletes with arrhythmias?
• Which underlying cardiac conditions increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in athletes, and how can clinicians, teams, and coaches prepare for cardiac emergencies?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

 

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recording date: 30-September-2026

The Cardiovascular Risks of Recreational Adderall Use

 

Guest: Anna Svatikova, M.D., Ph.D.
Host: Paul Friedman, M.D.

 

Adderall has become a popular “study drug” and performance enhancer among college students and young professionals—but what happens to the cardiovascular system when someone without ADHD takes it recreationally? Dr. Anna Svatikova discusses research showing striking changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nervous system activity after just one dose in healthy, Adderall-naive adults. She and Dr. Paul Friedman explore what these findings could mean for palpitations, chest pain, arrhythmias, and other cardiovascular complications seen in young adults. They also explain why these results should not be confused with the risks of appropriately prescribed ADHD treatment and consider what may happen when Adderall is combined with energy drinks, alcohol, smoking, or underlying cardiovascular disease.

 

Topics discussed:

• Why has recreational Adderall use become so common among college students and young professionals?
• What happens to blood pressure, heart rate, and the sympathetic nervous system after a single dose of Adderall?
• Could recreational Adderall use contribute to palpitations, chest pain, arrhythmias, or more serious cardiovascular events?
• Why are the risks of recreational use different from medically supervised Adderall treatment for ADHD?
• How could underlying heart disease or combining Adderall with energy drinks, alcohol, or smoking amplify cardiovascular risk?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

 

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recording date: 02-June-2026

 

What Cardiologists Should Know About the Genetics of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

 

Guest: David Deyle, M.D.

Host: Kyle Klarich, M.D.

 

Thoracic aortic aneurysms can have an underlying genetic cause that affects patient management, surveillance, surgical decision-making, and family screening. In this episode, listeners will learn when to consider genetic testing and clinical genomics consultation for patients with thoracic aortic disease, including those with suspected Marfan syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and other familial aortopathies. The discussion also explores how to interpret genetic test results and variants of uncertain significance, the importance of family history and clinical phenotype, and how a genetic diagnosis can guide surveillance and treatment decisions.

 

Topics discussed:

• When should clinicians consider genetic testing for thoracic aortic aneurysms and other aortic diseases?
• How can genetic findings influence aortic surveillance, surgical intervention, and screening of family members?
• How should positive and negative genetic test results and variants of uncertain significance be interpreted?
• What roles do family history, clinical phenotype, and age play in evaluating inherited thoracic aortic disease?
• When should cardiologists involve clinical genomics in patient care?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

 

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recording date: 16-March-2026

Transcatheter Valve Interventions

 

Guest: Jared Bird, M.D.

Host: Malcolm Bell, M.D.

 

After listening to this podcast, listeners will be able to describe transcatheter treatment options for mitral valve disease, including transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR); identify key echocardiographic and cardiac CT findings used for patient selection and procedural planning; and discuss the evolving role of transcatheter mitral valve interventions in the treatment of mitral regurgitation and other forms of mitral valve disease.

 

Topics discussed:

• What are TEER and TMVR, and how do these transcatheter mitral valve interventions differ from surgical mitral valve repair and replacement?
• How are transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and cardiac CT used to evaluate patients and plan transcatheter mitral valve procedures?
• Which patients with mitral regurgitation are candidates for TEER, and when might TMVR be a better treatment option?
• What anatomic and clinical factors influence the safety and success of transcatheter mitral valve interventions?
• How might TEER and TMVR shape the future treatment of mitral valve disease?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

 

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recording date: 23-June-2026

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm in Women

 

Guest: Thais Coutinho, M.D.

Host: Sharonne Hayes, M.D.

 

After listening to this podcast, listeners will be able to describe sex differences in the epidemiology and outcomes of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), explain the biological and physiological factors that contribute to these differences, and identify clinically applicable strategies to improve TAA outcomes in both women and men.

 

Topics discussed:

• How does thoracic aortopathy differ between women and men?
• What factors contribute to sex differences in the incidence and outcomes of thoracic aortic aneurysm?
• What can clinicians do today to improve TAA outcomes in women?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

  

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recorded on: 02-February-2026

How AI Can Assist in the Performance of Point of Care Ultrasound

 

Guest: Jared Bird, M.D.

Host: Kyle Klarich, M.D.

 

Artificial intelligence is rapidly enhancing the performance of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by improving image acquisition, providing easy-to-use tools for automated quantification, and reducing the impact of variability in user training on the acquisition of high-quality cardiac POCUS studies. AI-guidance solutions for obtaining high-yield cardiac POCUS views are helping both experienced clinicians and novice users acquire diagnostic-quality images for the rapid assessment of cardiac pathology. These AI tools serve as a powerful addition to the clinician's toolbox but do not replace comprehensive echocardiography or the expertise of trained healthcare providers.

 

Topics Discussed:

• How do AI-guidance solutions improve the acquisition of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound images?
• Can AI meaningfully shorten the learning curve for trainees and nonexpert users?
• In what ways does AI enhance image interpretation and quantitative assessment in cardiac POCUS?
• What AI-guidance and interpretive solutions are currently available on the market?
• What are the limitations and challenges associated with integrating AI into bedside cardiac POCUS?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

  

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recorded on: 05-March-2026

 

Cardioneural Ablation in Practice: Cases, Curves, and Clinical Impact

 

Guest: Guru Kowlgi, M.B.B.S., M.S.

Host: Anthony Kashou, M.D.

 

In this episode of segment “ECG Making Waves” on Mayo Clinic podcast Interviews With the Experts, Dr. Anthony Kashou interviews Dr. Guru Kowlgi, a consultant in heart rhythm services at Mayo Clinic and assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Listeners will hear a deep dive into real-world experience with cardioneural ablation, focusing on case volume, patient selection, and clinical outcomes.

 

 

Topics Discussed:

• What clinical problem is cardioneural ablation trying to solve? Cover indications, both established and new
• How many cardioneural ablation cases have you performed to date? (How has case selection evolved over time?)
• What are your success rates? Any complications?
• Any concerns about long-term autonomic imbalance?
• What trials or data are still needed?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

  

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recorded on: 01-May-2026

Epidemiology of Myocarditis

 

Guest: Leslie Cooper, M.D.

Host: Sharonne Hayes, M.D.

 

Approximately 1,000,000 cases of myocarditis are diagnosed annually with an incidence of approximately 16/100,000.  The incidence is highest in men between 15 and 45 years of age.  However, after age 60 years, women have higher mortality than men. The overall mortality rate is 0.4/100,000.  The rates of diagnosis are double in high SDI regions compared to low STI regions, most likely due to the availability of the pivot all diagnostic tests, cardiac MRI and heart biopsy.  The incidence rates are stable while the death rates have decreased from 1990 to 2023.  Finally, the causes of myocarditis or changing with more cases of immune checkpoint inhibitor related myocarditis which can affect between 0.2 and 1.1% of patients receiving these cancer therapies.

 

Topics Discussed:

• How does the epidemiology of myocarditis help inform clinical practice for individual patient management?
• Are there clinically important sex differences in myocarditis incidence and mortality which practicing physician should be aware of?
• Are the causes of myocarditis changing? If so, how does a change in etiology affect management?

 

For more information, review the study below:

Klingel, K., Tschöpe, C., Yon, D.K. et al. Global epidemiology of myocarditis: disparities in age, sex and geography. Nat Rev Cardiol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-026-01276-w

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

  

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recorded on: 01-April-2026

Chronic Total Occlusion

 

Guest: Abhiram Prasad, M.D.

Host: Paul Friedman, M.D.

 

Chronic total occlusions are frequently encountered and are associated with complex coronary artery disease and diffuse atherosclerosis. Percutaneous coronary intervention is a suitable option for relieving angina in select patients who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy. Success rates of over 80% can be routinely achieved by CTO operators with MACE rates of less than 5%.

 

Topics Discussed:

• Who is the ideal patient for CTO PCI?
• Which practices in CTO PCI maximize success and minimize risk?
• Is there a role of viability testing when evaluating patients for CTO PCI?
• Is there a role for non-culprit CTO PCI for complete revascularization post AMI?
• Is there any new clinical trial data for CTO PCI?
• Are there any new devices for CTO PCI?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

  

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recorded on: 14-April-2026

Tricuspid Repair and Replacement in the Cath Lab: A New Era

 

Guest: Mackram Eleid, M.D.

Host: Malcolm Bell, M.D.

 

In this episode of “Interviews With the Experts,” Mayo Clinic consultant in interventional cardiology Dr. Mackram Eleid explored the evolving landscape of transcatheter therapies for tricuspid valve disease. Listeners will hear an overview of current indications, benefits, and risks associated with transcatheter tricuspid repair and replacement. The discussion highlighted key factors that influence the choice between repair and replacement, reviewed current evidence, and examined important knowledge gaps and emerging data that may shape future clinical practice.

 

Topics Discussed:

• What is the current threshold to recommend tricuspid intervention in a patient TR?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of transcatheter tricuspid repair versus replacement?
• What evidence in the field is still needed?

 

Connect with Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Continuing Medical Education online at https://cveducation.mayo.edu or on X: @MayoClinicCV 

LinkedIn: Mayo Clinic | LinkedIn

 

 

Cardiovascular Education App:
The Mayo Clinic Cardiovascular CME App is an innovative educational platform that features cardiology-focused continuing medical education wherever and whenever you need it. Use this app to access other free content and browse upcoming courses. Download it for free in Apple or Google stores today!

No CME credit offered for this episode.

 

Podcast episode transcript found here.

 

Recorded on: 18-January-2026