Christina Adams, MD, is an integrative cardiologist with expertise in integrative medicine, cardiac rehabilitation, women’s heart disease, nutrition and exercise. She is a member of the Scripps Women’s Heart Center care team.
Dr. Adams emphasizes prevention of cardiovascular disease, both primary and secondary, by using nutrition, cardiac rehabilitation and exercise to decrease cardiovascular risk factors as much as possible. Her personal approach to patient care can be seen through her attention to each patient, examining genetics and both traditional and non-traditional risk factors.
Additionally, Dr. Adams believes in completing assessments to compile an individual risk profile and set specific cardiac goals for each patient. She has a particular interest in athletes with heart disease and the important role of exercise as therapy.
Prior to entering medical school, Dr. Adams spent two years in South Africa, working with organizations emphasizing improved health outcomes through education and sports. It was this work that prompted her to become a physician. She also completed nutritional research at the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado; and field research in Peru, Guatemala and Malawi.
In addition to her cardiovascular fellowship at Scripps Clinic, she was selected as a Bravewell Fellow and completed a two-year integrative medicine fellowship under the direction of Andrew Weil, MD, through the University of Arizona Integrative Fellowship Program. Dr. Adams served as chief resident at the University of Colorado and chief fellow for Scripps Clinic Cardiology Fellowship.