Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women — yet the symptoms often look very different than they do in men.

In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, cardiologist Dr. Sandra Chaparro from Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute breaks down the unique signs of heart disease in women, including fatigue, nausea, back pain, jaw pain and other symptoms that are often overlooked.

We also discuss:

• How menopause affects your heart
• Why pregnancy and postpartum increase long-term risk
• The role of stress in heart health
• When to start screening
• What heart pain really feels like in women
• The truth about smoking, vaping and heart risk
• The best exercise and diet strategies for prevention
• How AI is helping detect heart disease earlier

One of the biggest takeaways? Know your numbers. Understanding your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight can help you prevent heart disease before symptoms ever appear.

If you feel fine now, that’s great — but prevention starts early.

Subscribe for more expert-backed health insights from Baptist Health South Florida.

Host:
Johanna Gomez
Award-Winning Host & Journalist

Guest:
Sandra Chaparro, M.D.
Cardiologist
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

What do your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers actually mean? Dr. Tarek Rambahtla breaks down how plaque forms, how high blood pressure increases stroke risk, and why prevention starts earlier than most people think.

Heart health isn’t just about feeling fine — it’s about knowing your risk.

Host:
Johanna Gomez
Award-Winning Host & Journalist

Guest:
Tarak Rambahtla, M.D.
Medical Director of Inpatient Cardiac Services
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

Heart disease is rising in young adults — and it’s not just something that happens later in life.

In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, host Johanna Gomez sits down with Dr. Sergiu Darabant, cardiologist with Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care, to explain why more adults ages 20–40 are experiencing heart-related events and what’s driving the trend.

You’ll learn the early warning signs young adults often overlook, including:
• Chest tightness with activity
• Shortness of breath out of proportion to exercise
• Palpitations and racing heartbeats

Dr. Darabant also breaks down the biggest risk factors impacting young adults today — including stress, poor sleep, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and ultra-processed foods — and explains why prevention starts earlier than most people think.

One of the biggest takeaways: know your numbers and schedule a yearly checkup so you can catch issues early and protect your heart long before symptoms become serious.

Host:
Johanna Gomez
Award-Winning Host & Journalist

Guest:
Sergiu Darabant, M.D.
Cardiologist
Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care

If you’re wondering what your coronary artery disease risk really is, a calcium score screening can provide important insight—often before symptoms appear. In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, host Willard Shepherd speaks with Dr. Socrates Kakoulides, cardiologist and Chief Imaging Officer at Baptist Health, to explain what a calcium score measures, who should consider the test, and how it fits into overall heart health.

You’ll learn how calcium scores are used to assess heart attack and stroke risk, why age matters when interpreting results, and how lifestyle changes and medical therapy can significantly improve long-term outcomes. Dr. Kakoulides also clears up common misconceptions about calcium and shares practical steps for protecting your heart through diet, sleep, exercise, and stress management.

👉 Learn more or request an appointment: BaptistHealth.net/heartscan

Host:
Willard Shepard
Award-Winning Journalist

Guest:
Socrates Kakoulides, M.D.
Cardiologist & Chief Imaging Officer
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

Heart health is brain health. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar don’t just affect your heart—they can also increase stroke risk and impact memory and long-term brain function.

In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, host Sandra Peebles speaks with Dr. Marcus St. John, interventional cardiologist, and Dr. Nestor Beltre, neurologist and movement disorder specialist, about how shared risk factors connect heart disease and cognitive health. They explain why keeping blood pressure in a healthy range may lower the risk of cognitive impairment, why exercise is truly “fertilizer for the brain,” and how the Mediterranean lifestyle supports both heart and brain health.

The doctors also address common misconceptions about supplements and explain how stress and depression can mimic memory problems—often mistaken for early dementia. Learn practical, evidence-based steps you can take today to protect both your heart and your brain.

Host:
Sandra Peebles
Award-Winning Journalist

Guests:
Marcus St. John, M.D.
Interventional Cardiologist
Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

Nestor Beltre, M.D.
Neurologist and Movement Disorders Specialist
Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute

If you’ve been putting off your annual checkup or aren’t sure what should happen during your primary care visit, this conversation breaks it all down.

In this episode of Baptist HealthTalk, Dr. Anthony Gonzalez, chief of surgery for Baptist Hospital of Miami and Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at Baptist Health, sits down with Dr. Ravindra Ganesh, internal medicine physician with Baptist Health Concierge Medicine, to explain why primary care is the foundation of long-term health.

They discuss what screenings and labs actually matter, how age and family history guide preventive care, and why things like blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep, and lifestyle habits shouldn’t be ignored. Dr. Ganesh also clears up common myths around supplements, vaccines, and testing—helping patients feel more confident and informed about their health decisions.

Watch now to learn how a proactive primary care approach can help catch problems early and keep you healthier all year long.

Host:
Anthony Gonzalez, M.D.
Chief of Surgery, Baptist Hospital of Miami
Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery, Baptist Health

Guest:
Ravindra Ganesh, M.D.
Internal Medicine Physician
Baptist Health Concierge Medicine

What does it take to stay healthy through the most demanding hockey seasons?

In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk joins broadcaster Steve Goldstein and Dr. Gautam Yagnik, team physician with Baptist Health, for an inside look at elite athlete recovery and performance.

Tkachuk shares how his approach to recovery has evolved—from post-game routines and cold tubs to nutrition, sleep optimization, and mental preparation. Dr. Yagnik explains how Baptist Health supports professional athletes behind the scenes and how the same principles used in elite sports medicine can benefit everyday people.

This conversation explores:
Why sleep is now a top performance priority
How recovery starts immediately after competition
The role of nutrition, hydration, and mental health
What non-athletes can learn from elite hockey care

Whether you’re an athlete or simply focused on staying active and healthy, this episode highlights how Baptist Health’s sports medicine expertise helps people perform at their best—on and off the ice.

Host:
Steve Goldstein
Television Play-by-Play Broadcaster
Florida Panthers

Guests:
Matthew Tkachuck
Left Wing
Florida Panthers

Gautam Yagnik, M.D.
Orthopedic Surgeon and Florida Panthers Team Physician
Baptist Health Orthopedic Care

Diabetes often develops silently, and by the time symptoms appear, it may have already been there for years.

In this episode of Baptist HealthTalk, host Johanna Gomez sits down with Dr. Pascual DeSantis, Chief of Endocrinology, and Dr. Paolo Carvalho, Geriatric and Family Medicine Physician at Baptist Health, to break down what diabetes really is and why so many people miss the early warning signs.

The experts explain the differences between type 1, type 2, and pre-diabetes, common symptoms people brush off, and how lifestyle, genetics, and age all play a role. They also discuss what’s happening inside the body, why follow-up care matters, and how uncontrolled blood sugar can affect the heart, kidneys, nerves, and vision. Watch now to learn what signs to look for—and when it’s time to talk to your doctor.

Host:
Johanna Gomez
Award-Winning Host & Journalist

Guests:
Pascual De Santis, M.D.
Chief of Endocrinology
Baptist Health

Paulo Carvalho, M.D.
Geriatric Medicine & Family Medicine Physician
Baptist Health Concierge Medicine