Bernardo Cortese, MD

About

Bernardo Cortese, MD, FESC, FSCAI, is an internationally renowned interventional cardiologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of complex coronary artery disease and chronic total occlusions. He is Co-Director of the Coronary Center at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute and Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Dr. Cortese earned his medical degree from the University of Pisa in Pisa, Italy. His postdoctoral training began with internships at various European and American hospitals. He then completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Pisa followed by an interventional cardiology master program at Sant’Anna University in Pisa, Italy. Dr. Cortese has steadily honed his skills as an interventional cardiologist with numerous advanced certifications in carotid, coronary, peripheral artery, and structural heart techniques.

Prior to joining University Hospitals in August 2024, Dr. Cortese served as Director of Cardiology at San Carlo Multispecialty Clinic in Milano, Italy, and consultant interventional cardiologist for coronary and structural heart disease at Columbus Clinic and Fatebenefratelli Hospital in Milano, Italy. He was also President of the Scientific Committee for the Cardiovascular Research and Innovation Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of DCB Academy, a research and education institute that promotes lectures, research and publications on interventional cardiology-related topics.

Dr. Cortese is an avid physician-researcher with leading investigator roles in more than 60 clinical trials for novel cardiovascular therapies and techniques. He is also a highly sought educator, with active proctorships in complex coronary artery disease percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Poland, Czeck Republic, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Spain, and Brazil.

Dr. Cortese is a widely published interventional cardiology expert, with over 340 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals. In addition, he serves as reviewer and editorial board member for multiple international journals, including JACC Cardiovascular Interventions, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine, Eurointervention, Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI), New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Cardiology, Circulation, Minerva Cardiology and Angiology, Circulation-Cardiovascular Interventions, The Lancet and American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs.

Dr. Cortese is recognized as a fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), Society of Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (FSCAI), and the Indo-European Course of Revascularization (FIECR). He has served as Coordinator of the International Fellowship Program recognized by the European Society of Cardiology in Milano, Italy since 2013.

Dr. Cortese has extensive experience in the management of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease, chronic total occlusion and cardiogenic shock. He continues to dedicate his career to the care of sick and fragile patients, as well as the development and optimization of innovative therapies in the field of cardiovascular medicine.