The Organ Next Door: Heart Health & CF

What happens when the heart becomes part of the cystic fibrosis story?

In this episode, Ahmet Uluer, DO, MPH, Lauren Harvey, and Andrea Gavin Becker welcome cardiologists Evan Manning, MD and Mark Harvey, MD to discuss the connection between cystic fibrosis and cardiovascular health. CF care has historically centered on the lungs, but as people with CF live longer, what have we overlooked about the organ sitting right next door?

Together, we explore how inflammation, cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, and CFTR modulator therapy can affect heart health, why people with CF may face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and what symptoms shouldn’t be ignored.

We also talk about plaque, medication interactions, the importance of knowing your numbers, and why sometimes the best place to start is with the basics. As people with CF are living longer, what do we know about protecting the heart—and what are we still trying to figure out?

Also: Dr. Dad on the dance floor, the heart as a next-door neighbor, and, you AORTA know, a hearty amount of heart puns.