Valentín Fuster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Excellent The Marquess of Fuster GCA
Born	Valentín Fuster Carulla (1943-01-20) 20 January 1943 (age 82) Barcelona, Spain
Nationality	Spanish, American
Alma mater	University of Barcelona University of Edinburgh Medical School
Occupation	Cardiologist
Parent(s)	Joaquín Fuster, Father
Relatives	Marquess of Carulla, grandmother Joaquín Fuster, brother

Valentín Fuster Carulla is a famous cardiologist from Spain. He was born on January 20, 1943. A cardiologist is a doctor who specializes in the heart and blood vessels.

Dr. Fuster has held many important roles. He was the main editor for a big medical journal called the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He also led the American Heart Association and the World Heart Federation. These groups work to improve heart health around the world.

He works at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. There, he is the President of Mount Sinai Heart. He also directs several important heart research centers. In October 2023, Mount Sinai Heart was even renamed the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital to honor him.

In Spain, Dr. Fuster is the General Director of the National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC). He also leads a global project called the SHE Foundation. This foundation focuses on science for health and education. In 2014, the King of Spain gave him the special title of Marquess of Fuster. This was to recognize his amazing work in research and teaching about health.

Early Life and Education

Valentín Fuster was born in Barcelona, Spain. His father was a psychiatrist, and his brother is a neuroscientist. Growing up, he was a talented tennis player and competed at a national level in Spain.

A well-known doctor, Pedro Farreras Valentí, encouraged him to study cardiology. Dr. Fuster graduated first in his class from the University of Barcelona in 1967. He then went to the University of Edinburgh Medical School in Scotland. There, he earned his PhD. His research focused on how tiny blood cells called platelets are involved in heart attacks.

A Career in Heart Health

Dr. Fuster worked as a research fellow at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. After finishing his PhD in 1971, he moved to the Mayo Clinic in the United States. He started as a resident doctor and later became a professor and consultant in cardiology.

In 1981, he became the head of cardiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. From 1991 to 1994, he taught at Harvard Medical School. He also led the cardiology department at Massachusetts General Hospital. He returned to Mount Sinai in 1994. Since then, he has continued to lead and expand heart health programs there. In 2022, he was appointed president of Mount Sinai Heart.

He has been the main editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology since 2014. He has also been president of the American Heart Association. He has received 34 honorary doctorates from universities. This shows how much his work is valued around the world.

Dr. Fuster even inspired a character on the Spanish version of Sesame Street. The character was named "Valentin Ruster." This character taught children about healthy living through exercise and good eating habits.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Fuster has received many important awards for his work:

• 1992: Andreas Gruntzig Award
• 1993: Distinguished Scientist Award, American College of Cardiology
• 1996: Principe de Asturias Award of Science and Technology
• 2001: James B. Herrick Award
• 2005: Distinguished Researcher Award
• 2008: Polzer Prize
• 2011: The LeFoulon Delalande Grand Prize
• 2012: AHA Research Achievement Award
• 2014: Given the title Marquess of Fuster by King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
• 2017: Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise
• 2020: Prince Mahidol Award in Medicine

Important Discoveries in Heart Medicine

Dr. Fuster has made many key contributions to understanding and treating heart disease. His work has helped doctors worldwide.

Understanding and Preventing Heart Disease

His research has focused on how heart diseases develop and how to prevent them. Here are some of his important findings:

• In the 1980s, he showed how platelets contribute to blockages in heart bypass grafts. He also led early studies on using aspirin to prevent blood clots.
• In the 1990s, he discovered that many heart attacks come from small, unstable plaques in arteries. He also helped develop drug-eluting stents. These stents release medicine to prevent arteries from narrowing again after a procedure.
• In the 2000s, his work helped change guidelines for treating patients with diabetes and multiple blocked heart arteries.
• In the 2010s, he helped create a special "polypill." This pill combines aspirin, a blood pressure medicine, and a statin (for cholesterol). It helps people stick to their medication plans better. This pill is now approved in many countries.
• From 2015 onwards, he has studied how to find early signs of heart disease using imaging tests. He also worked with Sesame Street to create health education programs for children. These programs taught kids, parents, and teachers about healthy eating and exercise. Studies showed these programs helped improve health habits and weight in children.

Books by Dr. Fuster

Dr. Fuster has written and edited many books about heart health. These books help doctors and the public learn more about the heart.

Books He Has Written

• Hurst's the Heart Manual of Cardiology (2009)
• The Heart Manual: My Scientific Advice for Eating Better, Feeling Better, and Living a Stress-Free Life Now (2010)
• The AHA Guidelines and Scientific Statements Handbook (2009)
• Atherothrombosis and Coronary Artery Disease (2004)
• Platelets in Thrombotic and Non-Thrombotic Disorders Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Thrombosis in Cardiovascular Disorders
• Update on Coronary Risk Factors, An Issue of Medical Clinics of North America
• La Ciencia de la Salud: Mis consejos para una vida sana (Spanish Edition) (2007)
• Cardiovascular Thrombosis: Thrombocardiology and Thromboneurology
• La ciencia y la vida/ Science And Life (Spanish Edition)
• Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance: Established and Emerging Applications
• La pequeña ciencia de la salud
• Monstruos supersanos
• La cocina de la salud (2010)
• La vostra salute mi sta a cuore
• La buona cucina della salute. La ricetta di un famoso chef e di un grande medico per vivere bene senza rinunce
• El Círculo de la motivación

Books He Has Edited

• The Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque: Understanding, Identification and Modification
• Evolving Challenges in Promoting Cardiovascular Health (2012)
• Assessing and Modifying the Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque (2002)
• Oxidative Stress and Cardiac Failure (2002)
• Platelets in Hematologic and Cardiovascular Disorders: A Clinical Handbook
• Promoting Cardiovascular Health in the Developing World: A Critical Challenge to Achieve Global Health
• Syndromes of Atherosclerosis: Correlations of Clinical Imaging and Pathology
• Efficacy of Myocardial Infarction Therapy
• Editor-in-chief of Nature Reviews Cardiology (since April 2009)

See also

In Spanish: Valentín Fuster para niños