- Invasive Cardiology
- Nuclear Cardiology
- Transesophageal Echocardiography
- Cardiac CT Angiography
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Fluent in Spanish
A native of San Diego, Dr. Heriberto “Ed” Gutierrez joined Desert Cardiology in 1996, shortly after completing his cardiology fellowship in Los Angeles. Dr. Gutierrez’s special interests in cardiology include echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, cardiac rehabilitation, preventative cardiology, and cardiac CT angiography. Dr. Gutierrez’s approach to patient care is to utilize his analytical and problem-solving skills to find a solution which meets the individual needs and goals of his patients.
Dr. Gutierrez pursued medicine and, more specifically, the field of cardiology because, he says, “the heart makes sense”. By this, Dr. Gutierrez was referring to the idea that the mastering an understanding of the way the heart functions and having an impact on the quality and longevity of people’s lives would be something he knew would be a very rewarding endeavor. His technical expertise and natural ability to relate to people of all backgrounds has made him well-suited to serve patients in the field of cardiology.
In addition to his full-time practice, Dr. Gutierrez is the Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Northwest Medical Center. Being involved in the cardiac rehabilitation program has afforded Dr. Gutierrez the opportunity to be involved in patients’ lives after their cardiac incident through the recovery process. He is inspired every day by the patients he sees who successfully complete their rehabilitation programs and go on to live healthy and satisfying lives. Being part of this program further reinforces to Dr. Gutierrez the belief that a patient’s level of personal motivation and commitment to their health plays a key role in their long-term recovery from a heart attack.
Being fluent in Spanish has allowed Dr. Gutierrez to fully appreciate and enjoy the culture of Southern Arizona. He enjoys exploring the city with his wife, Ruby, and their 2 children. When not learning about advances in medicine, Dr. Gutierrez spends his time delving into various topics on history, with the history of science being of particular interest to him. Living in Tucson has also allowed Dr. Gutierrez to foster his interest in astronomy, where he finds the clear desert nights to be especially conducive to sky-watching.
Education
FellowshipCardiology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 1996
ResidencyInternal Medicine, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 1993
InternshipInternal Medicine, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, 1991
MDUniversity of California-San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, 1990
BSBiology / Chemistry, Summa cum Laude, Point Loma College, San Diego, CA, 1986
Board Certifications
- American Board of Internal Medicine / Subspecialty Board of Cardiovascular Disease
- National Board of Echocardiography / Adult Comprehensive Echocardiography
- Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology
Hospital Affiliations
- Northwest Medical Center
- Oro Valley Hospital
- Tucson Heart Hospital
Professional Memberships
- Fellow, American College of Cardiology
- Member, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
- Member, American Society of Echocardiography
- Member, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Member, Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography
Leadership Roles
- Medical Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Desert Cardiology of Tucson/Northwest Medical Center, 2001 – Present
- Cardiology Section Head, Northwest Medical Center, 2006 – 2008
- Clinical Preceptor for Medical Students, University Of Arizona
Honors and Awards
- Graduation with Distinction, Point Loma College, 1986
- Outstanding Minority Scholar, UC San Diego School of Medicine, 1986
Publications
Gutierrez, H., Alshak, N., Kotlewski, A. A Case of Spontaneous Innominate Artery Perforation With Pericardial Tamponade. Catheterization and Cardiovascular Diagnosis, March 1996.
Gutierrez, H., Jorgensen, M. Colonic ischemia following Verapamil overdose. Annals of Internal Medicine, March 1996.