The Heart in Rheumatic Diseases

In this episode of HSS Presents, rheumatologist Dr. Genna Braverman hosts a conversation with Dr. Arthur Yee and cardiologists Dr. Evelyn Horn and Dr. Irina Sobol on the interplay between the heart and rheumatic diseases. They discuss how conditions like sarcoidosis and scleroderma can affect the myocardium, valves, conduction system, and pulmonary vasculature—leading to heart failure, arrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension. The panel highlights advances in imaging, from cardiac MRI to PET scans, and evolving treatments that combine immunosuppression, device therapy, and guideline-directed cardiac care. With insights into the new Cardio-Rheumatology Program at HSS and Weill Cornell, listeners will hear how collaboration between specialties is improving outcomes for patients with autoimmune diseases that affect the heart.