Prof. Fausto Pinto

Prof. Fausto Pinto is Portugal's most distinguished cardiologist and one of the most respected cardiovascular medicine specialists in Europe. He serves as a senior consultant and full professor of cardiology at Hospital de Santa Maria (Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte) in Lisbon — the largest university hospital in Portugal — and holds the chair of cardiology at the University of Lisbon Faculty of Medicine.

The pinnacle of his international career was his tenure as President of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) from 2012 to 2014, making him the first Portuguese-speaking clinician to hold this position. The ESC is the world's largest cardiovascular medicine organisation, representing over 90,000 cardiovascular specialists globally. During his presidency, Prof. Pinto championed initiatives to reduce cardiovascular mortality across Europe and in low- and middle-income countries through the World Heart Federation, of which he is also a senior member.

Prof. Pinto is internationally recognised as an authority on echocardiography and cardiac imaging. He has contributed to the development and standardisation of echocardiographic techniques — including transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, stress echo, and 3D echo — and has served on the editorial board of the European Heart Journal for many years. His clinical practice at Santa Maria encompasses the full range of non-invasive cardiac imaging, valvular heart disease assessment, pre-operative workup for structural interventions including TAVI, and the management of heart failure and cardiomyopathies.

As a mentor and educator, Prof. Pinto has trained generations of Portuguese cardiologists and contributed to international cardiology education through ESC congresses, guideline committees, and the ESC e-learning platform.

Prof. Pinto completed his medical degree at the University of Lisbon Faculty of Medicine and subsequently undertook specialist training in cardiology at Hospital de Santa Maria and affiliated institutions. He pursued advanced training in echocardiography and cardiac imaging at leading European centres, including time at institutions in France and the United Kingdom, where he developed his expertise in non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostics.

He holds a doctoral degree (PhD) from the University of Lisbon, reflecting his contributions to cardiovascular research alongside clinical practice. He is a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC), and a Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) — three of the highest international credentials a cardiologist can hold. He has contributed to ESC guideline writing committees in echocardiography, valvular heart disease, and heart failure.

Prof. Pinto's clinical expertise centres on the non-invasive assessment of heart disease, with echocardiography as his primary diagnostic tool. He performs comprehensive transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, stress echocardiography for coronary artery disease evaluation, and 3D echocardiographic assessment of valve anatomy and function.

His valvular heart disease expertise encompasses the full spectrum: mitral stenosis and regurgitation, aortic stenosis and regurgitation, tricuspid and pulmonary valve disease, and congenital valvular abnormalities. He provides pre-procedural imaging assessment for patients undergoing TAVI (transcatheter aortic valve implantation) and MitraClip procedures, working within the structural heart disease multidisciplinary team at Santa Maria. He manages patients with heart failure (both reduced and preserved ejection fraction), atrial fibrillation requiring stroke prevention, and various cardiomyopathies including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Prof. Pinto has authored and co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications, primarily in the European Heart Journal, JACC, Heart, and the European Journal of Echocardiography. His work on echocardiographic standards and reference values has contributed to international practice guidelines, and he has been a key author on several ESC guidelines for valvular heart disease and cardiac imaging.

His editorial board membership at the European Heart Journal reflects his standing in the European cardiology research community. He has presented his research at ESC, ACC, and World Heart Federation congresses and has co-edited major textbooks in cardiology and echocardiography. His leadership of international registries and studies through the ESC has generated important epidemiological data on cardiovascular disease patterns across Europe.

Hospital de Santa Maria operates an international patient services office that supports patients from across the EU and from further afield. Prof. Pinto consults in Portuguese, English, and Spanish — making his practice accessible to patients from across the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, and the broader international community.

Lisbon is well-connected by direct flights from across Europe, North Africa, and the Americas, making it a practical destination for international medical travel. EU patients can use their EHIC for eligible treatments or access care under the EU cross-border healthcare directive. For patients seeking a second opinion on a cardiac diagnosis, imaging review, or pre-surgical assessment, video consultations are available for preliminary case review before a decision to travel is made.

Prof. Pinto's career achievements have earned him the most prestigious honours in European and world cardiology. He is an Honorary Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC) and a recipient of the ESC Gold Medal — the society's highest individual recognition. He received the Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia (SPC) Lifetime Achievement Award for his transformative contributions to Portuguese cardiology. His election to the presidency of the ESC (2012–2014) remains the most significant position ever held by a Portuguese cardiologist in international medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and the American Society of Echocardiography (FASE) and has received honorary doctorates and distinctions from universities and professional societies across Europe and Latin America.