Cardiologists are medical experts who specialize in treating the cardiovascular system, which encompasses the heart and blood vessels. In addition to medical care, they instruct individuals on habits that foster heart health. A cardiologist is a crucial healthcare profession in America due to the country’s high prevalence of heart disease.
What does a cardiologist do?
Cardiologists are qualified to manage various cardiovascular ailments, including heart attacks, heart failure, arrhythmia, heart valve disease, and high blood pressure. They operate both in hospital settings and in private practices. Some cardiologists teach at universities or conduct research in laboratories to develop novel treatments.
Cardiologists may conduct physical examinations to ascertain a diagnosis, such as electrocardiograms (EKG), blood tests, and exercise stress tests, and interpret test results. They can also recommend lifestyle changes, including dietary modifications, exercise routines, stress reduction, and weight management. Additionally, cardiologists may conduct procedures like cardiac catheterization or implanting pacemakers.
Education and training of a cardiologist
Generally, a cardiologist completes at least ten years of medical education and training, including four years of medical school and three additional years of internal medicine training.
Following this, they must undertake three additional years of specialized medical training in cardiology. To be certified as a cardiologist, they must pass a cardiovascular disease exam administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
Who are the various subspecialists in cardiology?
Once they complete their education to become a cardiologist, they can choose to study further and become experts in a particular area.
Understanding these various areas and subspecialties can help patients make an informed decision. Here’s an overview of the different specialists focusing on diverse aspects of cardiology:
- General cardiologists: General cardiologists focus on preventing, diagnosing, and managing cardiovascular diseases. They handle long-term inpatient care, prescribe medications, and assist with a variety of heart-related disorders. They are skilled at interpreting stress tests, electrocardiograms, and Holter monitors, though they do not typically read complex imaging like MRIs.
- Preventive cardiologists: These cardiologists specialize in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. They deeply understand emerging risk factors and early warning signs of heart conditions.
- Cardiothoracic surgeons: These surgeons operate on patients with lung and heart conditions that require surgical intervention.
- Interventional cardiologists: These cardiologists perform minimally invasive procedures, including balloon angioplasties and plaque removal. They use specialized tools such as lasers and cutting devices to treat blocked arteries.
- Electrophysiologists: These doctors focus on diagnosing and managing cardiac arrhythmias and performing invasive procedures. They are also skilled in implanting pacemakers and other cardiac devices.
- Echocardiologists: Echocardiologists specialize in heart ultrasound procedures and interpret and conduct various ultrasound-based assessments.
- Congenital cardiologists: These cardiologists treat patients with genetic or congenital heart disorders. They primarily provide noninvasive treatments but may also perform interventional procedures when necessary.
- Transplant and heart failure cardiologists: Specialists in this field work with patients experiencing severe or refractory heart failure, providing advanced treatments and support for heart transplant candidates.
What is the cardiovascular system, and which diseases are associated with it?
Also known as the ‘circulatory system,’ the cardiovascular system comprises the heart (located in the center of the chest), blood, and blood vessels. Together, this system is responsible for delivering oxygen, hormones, and essential nutrients to the rest of the body. The heart pumps blood 60 to 100 times a day for 24 hours. In total, the heart circulates nearly 2000 gallons of blood each day. Veins bring blood to your heart, and arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart, distributing it to all body parts.
The arteries and veins together are called the vascular system. Apart from carrying blood, arteries also help to maintain blood pressure and control blood flow. They do so by tightening and loosening their walls. Problems in the cardiovascular system, such as a blockage in the arteries, make it harder to deliver oxygen. This ultimately leads to cardiovascular conditions such as:
- Atherosclerosis: It is a condition in which plaque deposited in the arteries over time causes them to harden and narrow. Plaque buildup can cause the artery to rupture and create a blood clot, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Plaque buildup usually occurs due to high cholesterol (LDL), smoking, and high blood pressure.
- Cardiomyopathy: This is an illness that affects the heart muscle or myocardium. In this condition, the heart muscle can thicken, become stiff or enlarged, and form scar tissue. This hinders the heart from pumping blood effectively and leads to heart failure. A person in the early stages of cardiomyopathy may not experience any symptoms. Still, as the disease progresses, symptoms such as swelling in the legs, heart palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath may appear.
- Arrhythmia: This is an abnormal or irregular heart rhythm. You can broadly classify arrhythmias into three types- supraventricular (which begins in the heart’s upper chamber), ventricular (that starts in the heart’s lower chambers), and bradyarrhythmia (slow heart rhythm caused by an issue in the heart’s conduction system). Pounding in the chest, palpitations, discomfort, and dizziness indicate an irregular heartbeat. Some arrhythmias can be fatal.
How are heart diseases diagnosed and treated?
Heart doctors and cardiac and vascular surgeons are experts in diagnosing or treating conditions related to heart and blood vessels. To determine what heart disease you have, they may perform the following tests:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG): This test tracks your heart’s electrical activity by attaching temporary electrodes to your chest and limbs. It can diagnose poor blood flow to the heart muscle, arrhythmias, and other abnormalities in the heart.
- Echocardiogram (echo): This is an ultrasound that takes pictures of your heart’s valves and chambers using a handheld device. Unlike an X-ray or CT scan, an echocardiogram does not involve radiation. An echo typically takes 40-60 minutes and can help diagnose congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, pericardial, and valve disease.
- Stress test: It checks whether your heart is pumping well and receiving adequate blood supply. It also tests how the heart responds to physical activity to compare it to people of your age and gender. The stress test also identifies problems within valves and the electrical stability of your heart during exercise or rest.
- Cardiac catheterization: Also called a coronary angiogram, catheterization is an invasive test used to confirm the presence of heart disease, abnormal heart rhythm, or valve disease. This test can also help determine whether you need stent placement, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), or heart transplantation. During this test, contrast dye is administered through a small flexible tube (catheter) and placed in a blood vessel (either in the arm, neck, or leg) to check for any blockages or the size and shape of the heart chambers.
Treatment for cardiovascular diseases depends on the type of condition. A cardiologist may use minimally invasive non-surgical forms such as angioplasty (inserting a stent to prevent blood clots from forming) or ablation therapy to treat arrhythmias. In some cases, the patient may require heart surgery. A cardiac surgeon typically performs invasive procedures such as open-heart surgery, heart valve replacement, and pacemaker or defibrillator insertion.
What should you expect during a visit to a cardiologist?
During your visit to a cardiologist, they will engage you in a discussion to understand your symptoms and lifestyle habits. Additionally, they may conduct several tests to pinpoint any underlying cardiovascular conditions and aim at assessing the overall health of your heart.
These tests might include an electrocardiogram (EKG), cardiac catheterization, ultrasound, and cardiac biopsy. Once the cardiologist reviews the results of these tests, they will make a diagnosis and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.
Cardiologists encounter common cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease, vascular disease, and congenital heart disease. Depending on the condition, treatment plans prescribed by cardiologists can range from medication and dietary adjustments to more invasive interventions, such as heart surgery.
How to prevent heart disease?
To maintain a healthy heart, you must lead a healthy lifestyle and ensure your blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels are in check. If you struggle with any of these, you must visit a cardiologist near you as soon as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also emphasized the significance of heart health by designating February as American Heart Month to raise public awareness of heart disease and stroke.
Here are a few tips for a healthy heart and lifestyle:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
People who suffer from obesity or are overweight have a greater risk of developing heart disease. Carrying the extra weight may put more stress on the blood vessels and heart. You can visit a cardiologist to check your body mass index to know if you are carrying a healthy weight or need to reduce it for a healthy heart.
- Opting for nutritious food and drinks
Ensure you eat less processed foods and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Eating food that is high in saturated and trans fats can contribute to heart disease. On the other hand, eating fiber-rich food low in trans and saturated fat can prevent high cholesterol.
Limit your salt (sodium) intake to lower your blood pressure and limit sugar to lower your blood sugar levels. This will also help prevent diabetes. Further, avoid consuming a lot of alcohol, as it can increase your blood pressure.
- Regular physical activity
The CDC website recommends around two-and-a-half hours of exercise a week for adults. This can include moderate-intensity workouts such as bicycling and brisk walking. Children and adolescents should get around one hour of physical activity per day.
Smoking cigarettes increases your chances of developing heart disease. If you regularly smoke, then you must prioritize quitting smoking to lower your heart disease risk. A cardiologist can help you if you are facing difficulties quitting.
Find cardiologists near you in Los Angeles, California
Suppose you experience symptoms such as a chest ache (angina), shortness of breath, or pain in the left arm, neck, or back. In that case, you should consider seeing a cardiologist immediately as these symptoms may indicate heart disease and be life-threatening if left undiagnosed.
If you wish to consult a cardiologist in Los Angeles, California, you can do so in just a few minutes with the help of Zocdoc. Zocdoc provides users with a fast and secure way to book online appointments or in-person visits with healthcare professionals in their area. Just look for a purple icon on the profiles of cardiologists who allow video consultations.
On the Zocdoc website, enter your condition, location, and insurance plan. Your search results will then display a list of top-rated cardiologists nearby. You can filter these search results by time, gender, distance, and hospital affiliation. Getting appointments at a hospital can be quite time-consuming and may interfere with your day’s schedule. With Zocdoc, you can book appointments on the same day, 24 hours in advance, in the morning, on weekends, or after 5 pm (depending on your chosen provider’s availability).
To help you make a better choice and get the best care, Zocdoc also provides each specialist’s medical background, training, and certifications. You can also learn about the languages they speak and whether they treat children well. You can also view your provider’s ratings and patient reviews and check whether they are in-network by selecting your insurance plan from the drop-down menu at the top.
Our online patient support center can help you find cardiologists who accept your insurance. With Zocdoc, you can link your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account, though you can use only one plan per appointment.
You can add secondary insurance information in the appointment notes if you have multiple insurance plans. Alternatively, if your provider uses Zocdoc’s Intake forms, you can directly enter your secondary insurance details there.
Booking appointments with cardiologists near you through Zocdoc is easy, safe, and free!
Prevalence of heart diseases and its risk factors in Los Angeles, California
As of May 2021, California employed nearly 3,340 cardiologists, the highest level of employment in the United States. The state also employs an estimated 4,950 cardiovascular technologists and technicians who assist in procedures such as cardiac catheterizations and tests like pulmonary function and lung capacity.
In 2017, the LA County Department of Public Health reported that Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) was the primary cause of death for adults over 45 in Los Angeles. The number of deaths due to CHD (11,211) accounted for about 17.7% of the total deaths in the county that year. Among the top causes of death, stroke, diabetes, and hypertension were also listed. People with hypertension, high blood pressure, and diabetes are at increased risk of heart disease. CHD was also the primary leading cause of premature death among men and women.
As per data from 2007 to 2014 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.7 million adults aged 18 and above living in LA County had hypertension, and almost 300,000 were unaware of it. An estimated 33% of Californians suffer from high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Experts have linked physical inactivity, canning, and high cholesterol to heart disease. As per data released by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, in 2020, nearly 30.3% of adults aged 18 and above residing in California were classified as obese. In LA, obesity rates have been increasing over the past years. An estimated 24% of adults and 20% of junior high school students in LA are obese. Nearly 8.9% of Californians smoke daily or some days a week and have smoked almost 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.
Another report by the same source estimated that in 2019, close to 55% of adults in California are aerobically active, i.e., they achieve the required 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of robust physical exercise weekly. Data also showed that only 33% engaged in muscle-strengthening exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
MedlinePlus
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[1]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[2]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[3]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[4]
America’s Health Rankings
WebMD
Texila American University
