Jeffrey S. Berger, MD

As a doctor and a physician–scientist, I’m invigorated by all that there’s yet to learn and discover in the fields of cardiology, vascular medicine, and preventive health. Through my research I’m able to constantly challenge myself. I apply my findings to patient care, using them to prevent vascular disease and reverse symptoms for people who have heart disease.

As a researcher, I work to increase our understanding of why some people develop arterial blockages and clots that lead to heart attack and stroke, and others do not. I’m specifically interested in the role platelets, as well as other blood-clotting proteins, play in heart disease, stroke, and vascular disease in the legs, especially for people who don’t have typical risk factors such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

In my work as director of NYU Langone’s Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, I often receive referrals from doctors who are uncertain of the cause of a patient’s heart disease or stroke. Because they do not have typical risk factors for heart disease, their condition presents a bit of a medical mystery. I want to understand everything about these patients, from the scientific information in their lab report to their nutrition, exercise habits, lifestyle, and medical and family history. These conversations, in addition to state-of-the-art risk factor testing performed at our center, are critical to helping identify the cause of their condition and preventing illness.

The future of heart disease prevention is very bright. At the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, we specialize in caring for people at risk for heart disease, including groups of people traditionally overlooked to be at increased risk for heart disease. These include women who had high blood pressure or high blood sugar when pregnant, women with early menopause, people who have rheumatological conditions, and people who previously received cancer treatment. We also work with people who have a strong family history of heart disease, stroke, or blood clot, and those who have related risk factors such as hypertension and elevated blood sugar.

There is great opportunity to help people prevent heart disease, and my goal is to equip patients with the information and treatments needed to take control of their health.