About me
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.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Echo
- High Cholesterol Management
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertension Treatment
- Nuclear Stress Test
- Stress Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Breathing
- Abnormal Heart Rhythm
- Acute Bacterial Endocarditis
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Amyloidosis
- Angina
- Angina Pectoris
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Aortic Regurgitation
- Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic Valve Disease
- Aortic Valve Disorders
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Artery Disorders
- Atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerosis Of Aorta
- Atherosclerotic Disease
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial Flutter
- Atrioventricular Block
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Bradycardia
- Bundle Branch Block
- Cardiac Arrest
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cardiac Murmurs
- Cardiomyopathy
- Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
- Cerebrovascular Diseases
- Chest Pain
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Procedures
- Congenital Heart Valve Defects
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Arteries
- Congenital Malformations Of Heart
- Congenital Malformations Of Peripheral Vascular System
- Congenital Malformations Of Pulmonary And Tricuspid Valves
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Disorders Of Autonomic Nervous System
- Disorders Of Lipoprotein Metabolism And Lipidemias
- Dyspnea On Exertion
- Eisenmenger Syndrome
- Electrical Conduction Disorders
- Fibromuscular Dysplasia
- Heart Attack
- Heart Block
- Heart Disease
- Heart Disease In Women
- Heart Murmur
- Heart Palpitations
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Hypertension
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Hypotension
- Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Mitral Regurgitation
- Mitral Valve Disease
- Mitral Valve Prolapse
- Mitral Valve Stenosis
- Myocardial Infarction
- Nonrheumatic Mitral Valve Disease
- Palpitations
- Paroxysmal Ventricular Tachycardia
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Patent Foramen Ovale
- Pericardium Diseases
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- Polyarteritis Nodosa
- Premature Atrial Contractions
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACS)
- Premature Ventricular Contractions
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pulmonary Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Valve Disorders
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Retinal Vein Occlusion
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Rheumatic Tricuspid Valve Disease
- Sarcoidosis
- Secondary Hypertension
- Sick Sinus Syndrome
- Single Ventricle Heart Defects
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Swelling In Legs
- Syncope
- Tachycardia
- Transient Cerebral Ischemic Attacks
- Tricuspid Stenosis
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
- Venous Embolism
- Ventricular Aneurysm
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
Procedures I perform
- Ablation For Atrial Fibrillation
- Angioplasty
- Aortic Stenosis Treatment
- Aortic Valve Repair
- Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
- Atrial Septal Defect Repair
- Automated External Defibrillator
- Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Cardiac Arrhythmia Monitoring
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Device Implantation
- Cardiac Echo
- Cardiac Electrophysiology Study
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
- Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy With Pacemaker
- Cardiac Rhythm Monitoring
- Cardiovascular Stress Testing
- Cardioversion
- Coronary Angioplasty
- Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
- Coronary Artery Disease Treatment
- Coronary Stenting
- Duplex Scan Of Upper Extremity Arteries
- Electrocardiogram
- Electrophysiologic Study
- Electrophysiology Study
- Event Monitoring
- External Electrocardiographic Recording
- Heart Failure Treatment
- Heart Pacemaker Implantation
- Heart Transplant
- High Cholesterol Management
- Holter Monitoring
- Hypertension Treatment
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Placement
- Intravascular Ultrasound
- Invasive Cardiac Procedures
- MRA With Contrast
- Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
- Nuclear Stress Test
- Pacemaker Optimization
- Pacemaker Pulse Generator Insertion
- Permanent Pacemaker Insertion
- Renal Artery Stenting
- Stress Echocardiography
- Syncope Treatment
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Transthoracic Echocardiography
- Ventricular Fibrillation Treatment
- Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Network OA
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- IH-PPO
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CIGNA EPO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-POS Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Student Resources
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Sentara Health
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Classic 3500
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-EPO Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Medicare Direct
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- TRICARE East Prime
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- CareFirst EPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Choice Fund PPO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Optimum Choice
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst Administrators
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Choice POS
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- First Health PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- IH-HMO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Navigate
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Medicare FFS
- POS OA
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst NASCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HighMark
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-POS
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- IH-Indemnity
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- UHC Passport
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna HMO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- OA Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Beech Street PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- TRICARE East Select
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease
Fellowship: Ochsner Foundation Hospital (2022)
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (2019)
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons (2016)