UH Recruits World Renowned Interventional Cardiologist to Cleveland

CLEVELAND – University Hospitals (UH) Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute welcomes an internationally renowned interventional cardiologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of complex coronary artery disease and chronic total occlusions as the new co-director of its Coronary Center. Bernardo Cortese, MD, FESC, FSCAI, is a highly experienced clinician and avid physician researcher from Italy who will be furthering the institute’s mission to provide the highest quality coronary care across 18 locations in Northeast Ohio.

Dr. Cortese comes to UH from Milan, Italy where he has served as Director of Cardiology of San Carlo Multispecialty Clinic and as a consultant interventional cardiologist for coronary and structural heart disease at Columbus Clinic and Fatebenefratelli Hospital.

“Bernardo has extensive experience in the management of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease, chronic total occlusion and cardiogenic shock,” said Mehdi Shishehbor, DO, MPH, PhD, President of UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, and Angela and James Hambrick Chair in Innovation. “He could work anywhere in the world, and we are honored he chose Cleveland. He understands our patient-centric culture and will work to lead best practices with a focus on quality, process improvement and patient satisfaction.”

He has been a leading investigator on more than 60 clinical trials for novel cardiovascular therapies and techniques. As a respected educator, he has active proctorships in complex coronary artery disease percutaneous coronary interventions in Brazil, throughout Europe, from Austria and Spain to Poland, Croatia and the Czech Republic, and across Asia, from Bangladesh and Thailand to Malaysia and Singapore.

A widely published interventional cardiology expert, Dr. Cortese has more than 340 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. He also serves as reviewer and editorial board member for multiple international journals, including JACC Cardiovascular Interventions, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine, Eurointervention, Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI), New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Cardiology, Circulation, Minerva Cardiology and Angiology, Circulation-Cardiovascular Interventions, The Lancet and American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs.

Dr. Cortese earned his medical degree and completed his cardiology fellowship from the University of Pisa in Italy. His postdoctoral training took him throughout Europe and the United States.

At UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute’s Coronary Center, Dr. Cortese will work closely with fellow co-director, cardiac surgeon Pablo Ruda Vega, MD.