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 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 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
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Diseases
- 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
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
1133 21st Street Northwest
Suite 700
Washington, DC, 20036
106 Irving St NW
Ste 4800
Washington, DC, 20010
1420 Beverly Road
Suite 205
McLean, VA, 22101
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.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-Open POS II
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Medicare Direct
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Medicare FFS
- TRICARE East Select
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Navigate
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst Administrators
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Choice POS II Open Access
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Choice POS
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- United Student Resources
- IH-Open HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Employee Health Plan
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst EPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- IH-Indemnity
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Choice POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- MultiPlan, Inc
- BlueChoice Open Access
- POS OA
- OA Plus
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- TRICARE for Life East
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CIGNA PPO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- IH-POS
- Police and Fire Clinic
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-Open POS Plus
- IH-HMO
- UHC Passport
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Network OA
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Aetna HMO
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Sentara Health
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- IH-PPO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Optimum Choice
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- First Health PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
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)