What Type of Doctor Would You Go to If You Had Heart Disease?

Heart disease is a serious ailment not just in the United States, but worldwide as well. High blood pressure, shortness of breath, and heart palpatations are the major symptoms of this disease, and if you are diagnosed with heart disease proper treatment is imperative.

Cardiologists

• If heart disease could be a possibility after a routine examination, a general practitioner will more than likely refer the patient to a specialist called a cardiologist. A cardiologist has specialized training and knows the best treatments and can come up with progressive strategies to combat heart disease. Some tests a cardiologist might perform are stress tests and EKGs. An EKG is also called an electrocardiogram. Through sensors hooked up to the body is measures the rhythm of the heart. Any irregular rhythm could be a sign of heart disease or malfunction. A stress test is used to evaluate how the heart manages activity or strain. Another method of testing is an echocardiogram, which is basically a sonogram, or evaluation of heart sounds. The absence or some sounds and presence of others can indicate blockages within the valves of the heart. The combination of these tests can provide a cardiologist with a clearer picture of the heart's overall health.

  If heart health is severe enough, a heart or cardiac surgeon might be sought out as well. These surgeons have extensive training on cardiac diseases and also have extensive general surgery experience as well. Some examples of surgeries performed are angioplasties, bypasses and open-heart surgeries. As always a trained cardiologist will have the proper training and knowledge to make a decision as to which and if a procedure is necessary.

Preventative Measures

• Heart disease is a serious condition and should be monitored closely. Maintaining a healthy diet, reducing stress, and plenty of exercise is critical to preventing this disease, especially if it is genetic or is anywhere in a person's family history.