Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Launches Sports Cardiology Program

The Smidt Heart Instituteat Cedars-Sinai is now home to a new Sports Cardiology Program created for athletes and athletic enthusiasts seeking specialized care for their heart health.

"This novel program brings Cedars-Sinai's exceptional expertise in heart care to a unique population: professional athletes and athletically minded individuals," said Eli Friedman, MD, who has been appointed director of the Sports Cardiology Program.

The Sports Cardiology Program is part of the Department of Cardiology chaired by Christine Albert, MD. It is an extension of the sports medicine expertise already offered by Cedars-Sinai, where physicians serve as medical advisers for several elite sports teams. Cedars-Sinai also is the Official Medical Provider for the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"We offer specialized care for people who exercise and are concerned about heart health, whether or not they have been diagnosed with heart disease," Friedman said. "Exercise and athleticism are wonderful priorities, but it's important to ensure safety in those at risk."

The program also will evaluate athletes for heart conditions, and it can screen people for heart issues before they participate in a sport.

Friedman brings substantial experience to his new role. Before joining Cedars-Sinai, he was medical director of Sports Cardiology at Baptist Health South Florida in Miami and director of Sports Cardiology at the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

He has also been team cardiologist for more than a dozen professional and college sports organizations. Friedman has authored several scientific papers on athletes' heart care and conducts research on cardiac conditions in athletes-as well as a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes.

"Our region is among the most sports-conscious in the world. By building on our considerable strengths to establish the Sports Cardiology Program, the Smidt Heart Institute reaffirms its commitment to our community, and to LA28," said Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute and the Mark S. Siegel Family Foundation Distinguished Professor. "Under Dr. Friedman's leadership and experience, we will build an outstanding program, helping athletes to continue doing what they love most."

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