Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC

C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, is a cardiologist specialising in coronary microvascular disease at Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, where the focus of her work is women’s heart disease and coronary microvascular dysfunction. She holds the position of Director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and Professor of Medicine.

The research and professional emphasis of Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz falls on ischaemia with no obstructive coronary arteries in women; coronary microvascular dysfunction; and preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation. She is a recipient of the Pioneer in Medicine Award.

Cardiology is a medical specialty reached through a medical degree, internal medicine training and a cardiology fellowship, with further subspecialty training on top. Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz practises within women’s heart disease and coronary microvascular dysfunction, and the profile below sets out the qualifications and appointments behind that.

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Credentials And Affiliation Details

• Full Name And Credentials: C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC
• Profession: Cardiologist specialising in coronary microvascular disease
• Field Of Focus: Women’s heart disease and coronary microvascular dysfunction
• Current Position: Director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and Professor of Medicine
• Institution: Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Sees Patients: Yes, in a clinical setting

Qualification Record For Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz

The qualifications below are drawn from the institutional, professional body and publisher sources listed at the end of this profile.

• Undergraduate: BA, University of Chicago
• Medical Degree: MD, Harvard Medical School
• Residency: University of California, San Francisco, where she served as Chief Medical Resident
• Fellowship: Clinical cardiology and nuclear cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Clinical And Research Interests

Published professional sources describe the work of Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz as centred on:

• Ischaemia with no obstructive coronary arteries in women
• Coronary microvascular dysfunction
• Preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation
• Advanced cardiac imaging
• Sex differences in cardiovascular physiology and outcomes

What Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Leads

• Director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, Smidt Heart Institute, a post she has held since 2001
• Director of the Linda Joy Pollin Women’s Heart Health Program and of the Erika J. Glazer Women’s Heart Research Initiative
• Director of the Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center at Cedars-Sinai
• Holder of the Women’s Guild Endowed Chair in Women’s Health and the Irwin and Sheila Allen Chair in Women’s Heart Research
• Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, where she has taught and researched since 1990
• Principal investigator of the Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation, the study that defined female pattern ischaemic heart disease
• TED speaker on the under-recognition of heart disease in women

Awards And Honours Received By Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz

• Master of the American College of Cardiology, 2023
• Pioneer in Medicine Award, Cedars-Sinai, 2020
• Red Dress Award for Leadership in Cardiovascular Research in Women, 2005
• Women of the 21st Century Award, Women’s Guild of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
• Her research established that women frequently have ischaemic heart disease without obstructive coronary artery disease, changing how chest pain in women is investigated

Where Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Is Based

Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Los Angeles, California. Clinical commitments at this institution are arranged through its own departments and services. Confirm the current address, department and telephone number with the institution before travelling, because academic appointments and clinic sites change.

Why Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Matters For Heart Patients

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, and for most of the history of cardiology it was studied mainly in men. That left real gaps. Women are more likely to present with breathlessness, fatigue, nausea or jaw and back pain rather than classic central chest pain, more likely to have their symptoms attributed to anxiety, and less likely to be prescribed guideline treatment afterwards. Correcting this is partly research and partly practice: knowing that symptoms can differ, and taking them seriously when they do.

Related Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Profiles

If you are comparing specialists, these profiles cover closely related areas of cardiology:

• Dr. Martha Gulati, women’s heart disease and prevention at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center
• Dr. Nanette Wenger, women’s cardiovascular health at Emory University School of Medicine
• Dr. Nieca Goldberg, women’s heart health at Atria New York City and NYU Grossman School of Medicine
• Dr. Sharonne Hayes, women’s heart health and spontaneous coronary dissection at Mayo Clinic

Browse the full cardiologist directory for more heart specialists.

How Patients Reach Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz is a practising cardiologist who sees patients through the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and the Preventive Cardiac Center. Access is usually arranged through the institution, a referring doctor or its own clinic rather than through this directory. Insurance participation, fees and waiting times vary by institution and by plan, and they change over time, so check coverage with both the institution and your insurer before scheduling. Use the enquiry button on this page to ask about availability.

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Frequently Asked Questions

What does Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz specialise in?

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz is a cardiologist specialising in coronary microvascular disease whose work centres on women’s heart disease and coronary microvascular dysfunction. Particular areas of focus include ischaemia with no obstructive coronary arteries in women and coronary microvascular dysfunction.

Where is Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz based?

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz works at Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.

Does Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz see patients?

Yes. Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz is a practising cardiologist who sees patients through the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and the Preventive Cardiac Center. Availability, waiting times and the services offered change, so confirm current arrangements with the institution before travelling.

What did Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz study?

MD, Harvard Medical School. Full training details appear in the education section above.

What are the qualifications of Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz?

C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC. Full credentials are listed above.

What position does Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz hold?

Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz is Director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and Professor of Medicine, based at Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

References Supporting This Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Profile

• Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute
• Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center leadership
• Cedars-Sinai research profile

Editorial Review And Last Update For Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz

This profile was compiled from the public professional sources listed above, including university faculty pages, professional register and society records, journal author statements and publisher biographies. Qualifications, appointments and awards were checked against at least two independent sources where available. Last reviewed on 30 October 2026.

Found something out of date? Contact the Find MD Health editorial team and we will review the entry.

Please Note Before Acting On The Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz Profile

Information only, not medical advice. Location, services, insurance and availability change, so confirm details with Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Severe or sudden chest pain is a medical emergency.