Cardiology
Cardiology is a specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Health problems involving the heart are very common. In fact, a recent study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation found that more than 50 percent of men and nearly 40 percent of women in the United States will develop coronary vascular disease in their lifetime.
Cardiologists at Pacific Medical Centers work to prevent heart disease as well as to treat it. Your cardiologist may conduct a variety of cardiac tests to gain important information about your heart and circulation. For example, you may have an exercise tolerance test that involves walking or jogging on a treadmill. This test can detect heart disorders that could be missed while you are at rest. Another common test is an echocardiogram that takes sound wave pictures of your heart. There are no side effects or pain involved. This test can provide a wealth of information about the four chambers of your heart, problems with your heart valves and the strength of your heart muscle. These and other noninvasive diagnostic ultrasound procedures are performed at our cardiovascular laboratory.
Pacific Medical Centers also offers a new state-of-the-art nuclear cardiology lab where we perform both treadmill and non-treadmill stress testing with the latest imaging techniques.
After the problem has been diagnosed your cardiologist will develop a treatment plan and work with your primary care provider to manage your ongoing healthcare needs. Whether this includes medication, lifestyle changes or surgery, your cardiologist will be a primary member of your healthcare team.
