The Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai has launched a Sports Cardiology Program aimed at providing specialized heart care for athletes and those who are physically active.
“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, the newly appointed director of the Sports Cardiology Program.
The new initiative is part of the Department of Cardiology, chaired by Christine Albert, MD. It builds on existing sports medicine services at Cedars-Sinai, where physicians already advise several elite sports teams. The hospital also serves as 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 will assess athletes for potential heart conditions and provide screenings before participation in sports activities.
Friedman comes to Cedars-Sinai with experience as medical director of Sports Cardiology at Baptist Health South Florida in Miami and as director of Sports Cardiology at the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. He has served as team cardiologist for more than a dozen professional and college sports organizations. His research includes studies on cardiac conditions in athletes and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition that is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest among 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 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.”
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is located in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1902, it operates as both a treatment facility—with over 50,000 patient admissions reported in 2022—and a training hospital under current president Thomas M. Priselac.
