It started with a number.
In the early 1980s, Dr. Arthur Agatston — a young cardiologist in Miami Beach — was searching for a better way to answer a question that haunted him: how do you see heart disease before it strikes?
The tools available at the time were limited. Heart attacks came without warning. Prevention was reactive at best. Dr. Agatston believed there had to be a better way.
So he found one.
The Birth of the Calcium Score
Working with his colleague Dr. Warren Janowitz, Dr. Agatston developed the Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score — a non-invasive CT scan that could detect calcified plaque in the arteries of the heart before a patient ever felt a symptom.
Today, the calcium score is used by preventive cardiologists around the world. It has been cited in thousands of studies, incorporated into major clinical guidelines, and credited with saving countless lives. It remains the most significant non-invasive tool in preventive cardiology.
That breakthrough was just the beginning.
A Practice Built on Prevention
Dr. Agatston founded The Agatston Center® for Preventive Medicine on a straightforward but radical idea: the best time to treat heart disease is before it develops. The best time to optimize your health is now.
Over the decades, the center has grown into a team of world-class physicians — each chosen for their expertise, their commitment to innovation, and their belief that patients deserve more.
Our physicians include specialists trained at Harvard, the University of Miami, Mount Sinai, and other leading institutions. They publish in journals like the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. They’ve co-created fellowships and shaped the future of preventive cardiology.
Why Patients Travel From Around the World
The Agatston Center® is headquartered in Miami Beach, but our patients come from across the United States and around the globe. They come because they want the best that prevention can offer.
What We Believe
We believe healthcare should be preventive.
We believe your doctor should know your story — not just your chart.
We believe prevention is not a luxury. It is the highest standard of medicine.
And we believe the most important number in your health isn’t your age. It’s the one we’re going to help you improve.
Our Team
The Agatston Center® is led by Dr. Arthur Agatston, with a team that includes:
- Dr. Judi Woolger, MD — board-certified internal medicine, former Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami, master’s degree in nutrition
- Dr. Cindy Shaffer, MD — board-certified internal medicine, fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish
- Dr. James Trice III MD — board-certified internal medicine, former Clinical Assistant Professor, Executive Medicine at University of Miami
- Dr. Oren Mechanic, MD — double-board certified, Harvard/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center trained and faculty, degree in nutrition
Becoming a patient at The Agatston Center means gaining a partner in your health for life. Space is intentionally limited — we keep our patient panels small so every person receives the attention they deserve.
We’d love to meet you. Reach out to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward a longer, healthier life.