Dr Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr, received his BA from Yale University and his MD from Western Reserve University. In 1956, he won gold at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, as a member of the United States rowing team. He was trained as a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and at St. George’s Hospital in London. In 1968, as an Army surgeon in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Dr Esselstyn has been associated with the Cleveland Clinic since 1968. During that time, he has served as President of the Staff and as a member of the Board of Governors. He chaired the Clinic’s Breast Cancer Task Force and headed its Section of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
In 1991, Dr Esselstyn served as President of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, That same year he organized the first National Conference on the Elimination of Coronary Artery Disease, which was held in Tucson, Arizona. In 1997, he chaired the Summit on Cholesterol and Coronary Disease in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Awards
- Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine (2005);
- Distinguished Alumnus Award, Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association (2009);
- Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Award (2010);
- Deerfield Academy Alumni Association Heritage Award In Recognition of Outstanding Achievement & Service (2013);
- Yale University George H.W. Bush ’48 Lifetime of Leadership Award (2013);
- Plantrician Project Luminary Award (2015);
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award (2016); and
- American College of Lifestyle Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award (2016).
His scientific publications number over 150, “The Best Doctors in America” 1994-1995 published by Woodward and White cites Dr Esselstyn’s surgical expertise in the categories of endocrine and breast disease. In 1995 he published his benchmark long-term nutritional research arresting and reversing coronary artery disease in severely ill patients. That same study was updated at 12 years and reviewed beyond twenty years in his book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, making it one of the longest longitudinal studies of its type. In July of 2014 he reported the experience of 198 participants seriously ill with cardiovascular disease. During 3.7 years of follow up of the 89% adherent to the program, 99.4% avoided further major cardiac events.
Dr Esselstyn presently directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.
