Joseph T. Adinaro, IV, M.D.
Feb 2010
Joseph Adinaro showed an interest in medicine at an extremely early age. In fourth grade, when a fellow classmate fell and hurt his head, Adinaro pushed through the crowd of children gathered around to assess the scene. “I said, ‘Let me have a look at him.’ My teacher turned to me and said, ‘Where’s your doctor’s license?’”
The rest is now history. After receiving his undergraduate degree from George Mason University, Adinaro earned his medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2000. During his residency, he spent several months as an Air Force doctor, serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. “We had 600 pounds of equipment that could turn any airplane into an emergency room,” he says.
While he admits it was sometimes lonely as the only doctor at 30,000 feet, these days Adinaro has his feet planted firmly on the ground. He practices with Cardiovascular Health in Williamsburg and is an active medical staff member at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.
As a busy father of five young children, his plate is quite full—literally. Finding time for some of his favorite sports—golf and volleyball—can be difficult amid long work hours and taking care of family, so Adinaro has turned to another favorite activity. “I also enjoy cooking,” he says. “When I was young, my grandmother would host dinner for the extended family on Sunday afternoons. I have resumed the tradition and enjoy hosting dinners for family and friends.”
Recently, The Health Journal asked Adinaro to offer his top tips for heart health and more. Here are excerpts from our interview:
Why he chose cardiology:
Cardiology became an interest during my medical training. I was looking for something that had continuity. I wanted a relationship with my patients. It is a very research-driven field. It’s very mechanical—fairly complicated, but simple in my mind. You can really wrap your mind around it.On his training in Iraq and Afghanistan:
I spent one month in Afghanistan and three months in Iraq. I found it fantastically rewarding. My job in Iraq was critical care. I was flying with an intensive care unit and transporting critically injured soldiers. Within 20 minutes they were in a chopper, in an hour they were in surgery in an operating room to get stabilized, then they could be flying to Germany by the end of the night.Who he helps now:
College students. Middle-aged people. Seniors. There is a wide range in age, but I see many more 80- and 90-year-olds than any other type of patient.The biggest myth about heart health:
I think there’s a general misunderstanding about how heart disease really works. We used to believe that blockages would progress over time and eventually close the artery, but we have discovered that mild blockages can break open and the artery can suddenly close with a clot. Inflammation and the endothelium [a thin lining of blood vessels in the arteries] are big players. Treating risk factors—like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking—is what makes a difference.What people can do to keep their heart healthy:
Exercise, aerobic exercise specifically, actually keeps your heart in better shape, as does modifying your risk factors. Smoking is the single worst thing you can do for your heart. The nicotine paralyzes the lining of the blood vessels. When that happens, you’re at higher risk for heart disease.Biggest professional challenge:
Trying to get through to patients who have their mind set against making a positive change, like quitting smoking. Or they don’t want to take medications. Also, keeping people from being their own doctor. The patient that frustrates me the most says, “This is what I believe, and that’s the way it is.”Who he admires:
The folks who trained me—I’ve trained with some amazing physicians. Their work ethic, tenacity and brilliance are inspiring. I do my best to come close to that. Everyone has their own thing—some docs have great bedside skills, other folks have the science down pat. You take pieces from everyone and try to be the best you can.What surprises him most in his practice:
Everybody’s different. I see everyone from the teen with palpitations and it’s nothing, to the 40-year-old who has horrible cancer and will die soon, to the 80-year-old who’s out on the golf course.The most beautiful thing about the human heart:
The heart is fascinating and elegant in its design and function with its own mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Many animals have the same design—including pigs and cows—which is useful when you need to exchange a part.Honestly, the most beautiful thing about the human heart, which is unique to the species, is its metaphorical exploration by artists, poets, songwriters and philosophers. The fleshy pump keeping us all going is quite humble compared to the lofty poetic heart.