Who is a cardiologist?
Heart conditions are highly prevalent in the United States, making cardiologists a crucial health profession. Cardiologists specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions affecting the cardiovascular system, including heart and blood disorders. They also educate people on habits that promote a healthy heart.
Cardiologists work in private practices as well as in hospitals. They can treat conditions such as heart attacks, cardiac arrest, angina (chest pain), heart abnormalities, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. The procedures performed by cardiothoracic surgeons also need the expertise of cardiologists. These can include balloon angioplasty, cardiac catheterization, and heart transplants.
The path of study for cardiologists involves four years of medical school, residency training in internal medicine, and at least three or more years of specialized training in cardiology. After completing around ten years of medical training, cardiologists pass the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) exam, achieving board certification.
What are the different types of cardiologists?
Cardiology is a vast medical field that offers many subspecialties. The American Board of Internal Medicine provides certification in the following five different areas:
- Adult congenital heart disease: This discipline allows physicians to deal with patients with one or more defects in their heart or blood vessel structure. They also coordinate with other doctors to provide long-term medical care.
- Interventional cardiology: This discipline allows physicians to utilize specialized imaging and diagnostic techniques to evaluate different areas of the heart and cardiovascular system. These procedures include using a catheter, a thin tube put into the body to remove liquids.
- Advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology: This discipline allows physicians to manage advanced heart failure cases and transplant patients. These doctors implement hemodynamic and electrophysiological support devices and perform surgical procedures. They can also act as consultants for other physicians managing patients with significant heart failure.
- Clinical cardiac electrophysiology: This discipline enables physicians to manage complex cardiac rhythm disorders. Cardiologists can perform both invasive and noninvasive diagnostic procedures. They treat arrhythmias by prescribing medications, implanting electrical devices, and leveraging other interventional techniques.
- Advanced cardiovascular imaging: This discipline requires physicians to get trained extensively in Advanced Cardiovascular Computed tomography (CCT) and Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
What are the symptoms of heart disease?
Heart diseases can be defined as various disorders that affect the heart. The symptoms mainly depend on the kind of heart disease and include the following:
Coronary artery disease (coronary heart disease)
Coronary artery disease is a prevalent heart disorder that affects the major blood vessels(arteries) that supply blood to the heart. Cholesterol deposits in the main artery near the heart are the leading cause of this disease. These deposits block the normal blood flow to the heart, causing a stroke, chest pain, or a heart attack.
Symptoms of coronary heart disease are different for men and women. Women may experience extreme fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, and chest discomfort. Meanwhile, men are likelier to experience chest pain. Common symptoms include:
- Chest tightness, chest discomfort, and chest pain
- Pain in the jaw, upper belly, back, throat, and neck
- Weakness, numbness, coldness, or pain in arms or legs
Heart arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
Common symptoms of irregular heartbeat include the following:
- Lightheadedness
- Bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
- Tachycardia (racing heartbeat)
- Dizziness
- Chest discomfort or pain
- Near fainting or fainting
- Shortness of breath
Congenital heart defects
Congenital heart defects are generally detected soon after childbirth. Common symptoms in children include the following:
- Pale blue or gray lips or skin
- Shortness of breath during feeding among infants
- Swelling in the belly, legs, or near the eyes
Symptoms of less severe congenital heart defects include the following:
- Getting quickly tired during outdoor activity or exercise
- Frequent shortness of breath during outdoor activity or exercise
- Swelling in feet, hands, or ankles
Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disorder)
Cardiomyopathy symptoms usually become noticeable when the condition worsens. Its symptoms include the following:
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeats
- Shortness of breath, even when resting
- Fainting, lightheadedness, dizziness
- Swollen feet, legs, or ankle
- Shortness of breath when trying to sleep or waking up feeling short of breath
Valvular heart disease (heart valve disorders)
Our heart has four valves: mitral, aortic, tricuspid, and pulmonary. These valves help regulate the blood flow in the heart. Many problems could damage any of the valves. The valves may become leaky, narrow, or close improperly. Depending on the affected valve, the common symptoms may include the following:
- Fatigue
- Fainting
- Chest pain
- Swollen ankle or ankle
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
Endocarditis infection affects the inner lining of heart valves and chambers. Its symptoms include the following:
- Fever
- Changes in heartbeat
- Persistent dry cough
- Fatigue or weakness
- Swelling of the belly or legs
- Shortness of breath
- Unusual skin spots or skin rashes
When to see a cardiologist?
Heart diseases are the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. One in every four deaths can be associated with heart disease. It can be difficult for people without heart conditions to know when to see a cardiologist. Following are a few reasons to see a cardiologist near you:
- High blood pressure: Chronically elevated blood pressure levels can significantly increase the heart attack risks.
- Diabetes: There is a significant link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Poorly controlled blood sugar can affect the functioning of your blood vessels and increase the chances of coronary heart conditions. A cardiologist can help determine what prevention strategies or treatments can lower that risk.
- Chest pain is one of the most prominent signs of a heart problem. Although other factors besides the heart can cause chest pain, it is concerning if the pressure in the chest rises or worsens during physical activity. It could signify that the heart is not getting enough blood. A cardiologist can determine the cause and help you with the appropriate treatment plan.
- History of smoking: Smoking can contribute to high blood pressure and cancer risk, but it is also one of the preventable risk factors for heart disease.
- History of high cholesterol: High cholesterol can lead to plaque build-up in the arteries. One of the ways to lower the cholesterol level is by having a healthy diet plan. You can talk to your cardiologist about a healthy diet for the heart and monitor cholesterol levels to reduce the chances of heart disease.
How do you maintain good cardiovascular health?
The simple steps below can help you maintain good cardiovascular health and lower the chances of heart disease. Here are the top strategies to keep your heart healthy:
A healthy diet helps maintain cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It can also decrease the chances of high blood sugar and diabetes. Your daily diet should include vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy foods, whole grains, lean meat, and fish. Restrict your intake of sugar, salt, saturated fat, trans fat, processed carbohydrates, and alcohol.
Daily physical activity dramatically lowers the risk of heart disease. It controls your weight, improves blood pressure, reduces cholesterol levels, and keeps your heart healthy. If you lead an inactive or sedentary lifestyle, it's time to start doing some physical activity. Begin by doing at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity daily. These could include dancing, climbing stairs, doing household chores, brisk walking, and gardening. They cause a gentle increase in the heart rate, which keeps the heart healthy.
- Quit smoking and tobacco use.
Nicotine present in tobacco can damage the blood vessels and the heart. Smoking reduces blood oxygen levels, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Quitting smoking and tobacco use is the best way to improve your heart health. It also has multiple long-term health benefits. Heart disease risk drops by nearly half in one year after quitting compared to smokers.
Chronic stress could lead to unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or overeating. These habits are harmful to the heart. To cope with stress and improve your heart health, practice healthier stress management methods, such as relaxation, meditation, and physical activity.
Obesity and being overweight, especially around the belly area, significantly increase cardiovascular disease risks. A BMI or body mass index of about 25 and above is considered overweight or obese. It also leads to high blood pressure and cholesterol. Men and women with waist measurements of 40 inches (101.6 centimeters) or more and 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) or more, respectively, are at a higher risk of developing heart disease.
Insufficient sleep can result in obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and heart attack. Adults require at least seven hours of continuous sleep at night. Create a sleep time and schedule and follow it diligently. Keep the bedroom quiet and dark so it's easy to sleep at night.
How do you find the best cardiologist in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn?
Are you planning to visit a cardiologist neaar you? If yes, you should remember a few things before booking an appointment. Ensure the provider is available at your convenience, and is qualified and licensed by the state licensing authority. It sounds overwhelming to know all this information before you visit. Well, we have got you covered. With Zocdoc, you can have a seamless experience and book your appointment within minutes.
To begin, all you have to do is create a free account on the Zocdoc website. Choose the condition, specialty, location, date, appointment time and insurance plan. A comprehensive list based on your search criteria will appear.
If you want to know your insurance plan, upload an image of your insurance card to your Zocdoc account, and we will find and display information regarding your insurance plan (this facility is not available for vision or dental plans). You can even contact the Zocdoc service team if you need help uploading a photo of your card. Check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more information and solutions related to insurance.
Each cardiologist listed on Zocdoc has a unique profile with short bios, educational details, visit reasons, practice location, accepted insurance types, and, most importantly, patient reviews. Based on your requirements, you can shortlist the best cardiologist near you and book an appointment instantly. The best part is that all bookings made through Zocdoc are secure, simple, and 100% free!
Stats on cardiologist and cardiovascular conditions in New York, United States
According to the 2021 reports published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 18,610 cardiologists are actively providing services across the United States. Corresponding figures for New York are 1,610 cardiologists.
As per the 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, a person dies from cardiovascular disease (CVD) every 34 seconds in the United States. In 2020, one in every five deaths in the United States was due to heart disease, which is around 697,000 deaths. Coronary heart disease is the most common among all conditions, killing about 382,820 people in 2020.
New York State Department of Health reports that the state observed 32% of deaths due to cardiovascular disease in 2020. Every year, around 150,005 Americans and around 6,000 people in New York die from stroke. CDC reports high blood cholesterol, smoking, and high blood pressure increase the incidence of heart disease.
Sources
St. George's University
Northwestern Medicine
Cleveland Clinic
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
New York State Department of Health
Mayo Clinic[1]
Mayo Clinic[2]
