Valentín Fuster, cardiologist: “The heart valves open and close constantly and keep working perfectly for decades”

Few people have dedicated their careers to unlocking the mysteries of the human heart quite like Valentín Fuster, one of the world’s most respected cardiologists. The Spanish physician is widely regarded as a leading authority in cardiovascular medicine, and his insights carry significant weight within the scientific community thanks to a distinguished career marked by groundbreaking research and academic achievement.

Throughout numerous interviews, Fuster has shared both his admiration for the heart and the healthy habits people should adopt to protect it. "I’ve spent my entire life studying the heart, its mysteries, and how it works, and I still don’t understand how it can keep contracting nonstop throughout a person’s lifetime," he once told National Geographic. That statement captures the essence of his lifelong passion. He studies the heart because he remains genuinely fascinated by this extraordinary organ.

A Closer Look at His Fascination With the Heart

What amazes Fuster most is not simply that the heart beats continuously, but that it does so with remarkable efficiency and reliability.

“An organ that weighs less than 11 ounces beats an average of 60 times per minute, adding up to roughly 3 billion heartbeats over the course of a lifetime. Its valves open and close constantly and continue working perfectly for decades, even though its cells have very little ability to regenerate during all those years," he explains. He adds that “with age, of course, the valves can deteriorate and eventually require replacement.”

To keep the heart functioning properly, Fuster has emphasized, including in an interview with El Periódico, the importance of addressing what he describes as “eight health-related risk factors.”

“Two are physical: obesity and high blood pressure. Two are chemical: high cholesterol and diabetes.”

According to Fuster, managing these conditions is essential for preserving the heart’s remarkable strength and endurance.

He also notes that other equally important risk factors are behavioral and largely determined by lifestyle choices. “Stress management, poor sleep habits, smoking, and drinking alcohol,” he says, listing several examples.

Together, these factors make up the foundation of long-term heart health.

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