Are all cardiologists the same?

Are all cardiologists the same?

For some, a family history of heart disease may trigger an appointment with a cardiologist. For others, random chest pain or other symptoms may cause you to seek care.

In the world of cardiology, there are many types of cardiologists and understanding what each does can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.

Dr. Farah Hussain, cardiologist and medical director with Advocate Dreyer in Aurora, Ill., breaks down the four different types of cardiologists and what they do:

  1. General/non-invasive cardiologist
    A general cardiologist is your first line to cardiology, your go-to when your primary care physician recommends you see one. A non-invasive cardiologist helps patients manage and prevent cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure,coronary artery disease, carotid disease, peripheral arterial disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. They can also develop a risk strategy through diagnostic tests such as ECHOs, stress tests and EKGs.

“These tests help identify heart conditions, and whether the problem can be treated with diet and medication. If a surgical procedure is recommended, then your cardiologist will refer you to another physician,” Dr. Hussain says.

  1. Interventional Cardiologist
    Interventional cardiologists work specifically with catheter-based treatments and heart diseases. They perform procedures such as heart catheterization, angioplasty, stenting, and relieving clogged arteries. Think of them as the ‘plumbers’ of cardiology.
  2. Electrophysiologist
    Electrophysiologists diagnose and treat electrical activities of the heart by going into the heart through the vein. They perform catheter ablations (a common treatment for atrial fibrillation) and implant and manage cardiac devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators. So, you can think of them as the ‘electricians’ of cardiology.
  3. Pediatric cardiologist
    Pediatric cardiologists specialize in children ages 18 and under, and treat abnormalities of the heart and circulatory system. They most commonly treat congenital heart disease, a condition that is found at birth.

Related Posts

Comments

2 Comments

  1. Kenneth Gladman March 22, 2017 at 5:04 pm · Reply

    I like that you mentioned the specifics of cardiologists. I think the more specific you can get, the better. You want to be sure and get the best help and service when it comes to your heart.

  2. Hi,

    Good information.Here we provide one Cardiology Conference.the conference details are given below.

    Advances in Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiac CT and Cardiac MRI: 34th Annual Case Review with the Experts is organized by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and will be held from Jan 18 – 20, 2019 at Cedars Sinai Medical Center Harvey Morse Conference Center South Tower, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.

    For more information please follow the below link:
    https://www.emedevents.com/c/medical-conferences-2019/advances-in-nuclear-cardiology-cardiac-ct-and-cardiac-mri-34th-annual-case-review-with-the-experts

    Thank you,

Subscribe to health enews newsletter

About the Author

health enews Staff
health enews Staff

health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.