Christopher W Puleo, MD

Christopher W. Puleo, MD is a noninvasive cardiologist at MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute. He is board certified in internal medicine and board certified in cardiovascular disease, adult echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology.

As a noninvasive cardiologist, Dr. Puleo diagnoses and treats a broad spectrum of cardiovascular health conditions, including coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and valvular disease. He predominantly sees patients in the outpatient setting in addition to performing routine inpatient cardiovascular consultations for patients admitted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He incorporates his experience with a variety of cardiac imaging modalities, including echocardiography and nuclear stress testing, to further risk stratify patients for a wide range of cardiac conditions.

Dr. Puleo's main clinical interest is in preventive care – he emphasizes the importance of preventing disease, not just treating it. He has a …strong interest in working with patients to identify and incorporate healthy lifestyle choices that they enjoy to both treat and prevent cardiac disease before it reaches advanced stages. Dr. Puleo's research interests are also focused on preventive cardiology and include cardiac biomarkers and cardiac risk stratification. He is very excited by the continuous development of new medicines and interventions in the field of cardiology.

Dr. Puleo earned his medical degree from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He then completed an internal medicine internship and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, before joining Ochsner Clinic Foundation for a three-year cardiovascular disease fellowship program.

Dr. Puleo is excited to be living in the DC area, the closest he has been in recent years to his family in the Northeast. It is also very special for him to have the opportunity to practice medicine in the region where his grandfather was a physician many years ago.

Philosophy of Care

"Medicine is both an art and a science. Physicians go through training for years and years to master that science, but it's all for nothing unless you're able to build a relationship with your patient.

"As cardiologists, we're not here to tell people, you need to do this' or you need to stop eating that.' We're here to make recommendations and to work with patients to help them meet their health goals and live the lives they want.

"My goal is to help all of my patients feel better, live longer, manage their conditions, and prevent future disease. I believe the best way to do all of the above is by building a strong patient-physician partnership and working together to achieve the health goals of the individual patient, whether that's playing with grandkids or running marathons."