Frequently Asked Questions About Cardiology

Cardiology is a branch of internal medicine that involves the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. Doctors who specialize in this field of medicine, called cardiologists, complete medical school, a residency in internal medicine, and extra training focused specifically on the heart.

Cardiologists can diagnose, treat, manage, and help prevent several cardiovascular problems, including:

• Angina (chest pain)
• Aortic aneurysms or stenosis
• Artery disease
• Arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms)
• Cardiomyopathy
• Congenital heart conditions (present at birth)
• Endocarditis
• Heart attacks
• Heart failure
• Heart valve problems
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Pericarditis
• Stroke

Patients are typically referred to a cardiologist by their primary care provider. However, if you are experiencing any of the following warning signs and symptoms, be proactive and ask for a referral.

• Chest Pain – Discomfort, pressure, or tightness in the chest area
• Shortness of Breath – Trouble breathing during normal daily activities or while lying flat
• Palpitations – Racing, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
• Dizziness or Fainting – Feeling lightheaded or passing out unexpectedly

Cardiologists use several common tests to check your heart health, find problems, and see how well your heart works. Tests may include the following:

• Blood tests
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
• Heart monitor
• Echocardiogram
• Cardiac stress test
• Chest X-ray
• Cardiac CT or MRI
• Cardiac catheterization

Some heart disease risk factors you can change include smoking, being overweight, and physical inactivity. However, some risk factors are unchangeable, such as family history and genetics.

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Unhealthy diet
• Stress and excessive alcohol consumption
• Family history of heart disease
• Age (risk increases with age)
• Gender (men are generally at higher risk)

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common condition where the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries is consistently too high.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers: systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number). High blood pressure is typically defined as having a consistent blood pressure reading of 130/80 mm HG or higher.

High cholesterol rarely causes symptoms on its own. However, excess cholesterol in your blood can narrow and harden your arteries, restricting blood flow and raising your risk for serious health events, like heart attacks and stroke.

Because you can live for years with high cholesterol and feel completely fine, your doctor will need to order a blood test, called a lipid panel, to determine if you have high cholesterol. The lipid panel measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol), HDL (good cholesterol), and triglycerides.

High cholesterol generally means a total blood cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or higher, or “bad” LDL cholesterol levels over 150 mg/dl.