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