Cardiologists are medical doctors who specialize in the heart and the cardiovascular system, as well as the conditions that affect these areas.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, which makes cardiologists a very important in the world of health care. They are qualified to treat a wide range of heart conditions such as high blood pressure, blocked arteries, heart attacks, heart valve disease, and heart failure.
Cardiologists treat a spectrum of heart diseases, including:
- Heart attack: A blockage of fat, cholesterol, and other substances in the arteries that can be fatal. Signs of a heart attack include pressure, pain or aching in your chest and arms, nausea, cold sweat, fatigue, shortness of breath, sudden dizziness, and/or feeling lightheaded. If you think you are having a heart attack you need to act immediately.
- Heart failure: A gradual weakening of the heart muscle that can get worse over time and can lead to a heart attack.
- Arrhythmia: When the electrical impulses that regulate heart rhythm don’t work properly, this is called arrhythmia. It can feel like a racing heart, or a fluttering and can happen along with palpitations. Heart palpitations: Skipping heartbeats, pounding, rapid heartbeats, or beating too fast.
- Atrial fibrillation: An irregular heartbeat that may increase your chances of getting a stroke.
- Coronary artery disease: When the blood vessels that supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your heart become damaged or diseased. Stroke: A blockage of blood supply to the brain that can cause major bodily damage and may result in death.
Heart disease (cardiovascular disease) is an umbrella term that describes many types of heart problems including atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease. Heart conditions are treatable by a cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in heart and cardiovascular health care.
A heart attack occurs when the heart muscle is not receiving enough blood flow through the heart valve. This blockage is from a buildup of plaque, often made out of fat or cholesterol. Plaque can also form a clot by rupturing which can also lead to a blockage.
Heart attacks are serious events. If you think you are having a heart attack dial 911. Symptoms of a heart attack include pressure, pain or aching in your chest and arms, nausea, cold sweat, fatigue, shortness of breath, sudden dizziness, and lightheadedness.
Though treatment is on a case-by-case basis, there are a few common heart attack treatments. If your heart has stopped beating, your emergency technician may start treatment by using a defibrillator to send an electric pulse to the heart.
If you have suffered from an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (complete blockage) you might receive a balloon angioplasty (cardiac catheterization), in which your doctor will insert a tiny catheter through a vein in your arm or groin to unblock an artery. This procedure often happens in conjunction with stenting, in which a metal grate (stent) is placed inside the artery to keep it open. You may also receive thrombolysis (clot-dissolving drug) to prevent a clot from clogging an artery.
If you have suffered from a partial blockage, you will likely also receive inhibitors for blood clots, along with cardiac catheterization, stenting, or a coronary artery bypass graft.
In either case, depending on the results of your angioplasty your heart may also require bypass surgery.
If you think you're having a heart attack, it is important to act immediately. Early detection can save your life.
The most common symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD) is angina, the medical term for chest pain. If this discomfort is joined by nausea, pain in the arm, or shortness of breath, you could be having a heart attack. You must act immediately if you believe you are suffering from a heart attack.
Coronary artery disease is a type of heart disease that is caused by a buildup of plaque in the wall of blood vessels (arteries)that directly supply blood to the heart.
The risk of heart disease varies based on your family history, lifestyle, age, and race. Risk factors include:
Obesity: Those with a high body mass index (BMI) are at greater risk of developing heart disease.
High blood pressure (hypertension): This can often be treated with calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and diuretics.
High cholesterol: Treatment for high cholesterol includes statins.
Genetics: Heart disease can run in the family.
Alcohol and tobacco use: can raise blood pressure, and damage the heart and blood vessels
Poor diet: A diet rich in saturated fats, cholesterol, and trans fats is linked to heart disease.
Heart defects: congenital heart defects put you at a higher risk for coronary heart disease.
The best thing you can do if you are concerned about heart failure is to speak to a cardiologist who can provide treatment options and create a treatment plan that meets your needs.
To understand the extent of your heart failure, your doctor may use diagnostic treatments such as an x-ray or an echocardiogram, or have you perform a stress test to test your heart rate during activity. A treatment plan may involve lifestyle changes including a heart-healthy diet, or medication such as beta-blockers or statins