What is a Cardiologist ?

A Cardiologist is a physician that specializes in the treatment of your heart and blood vessels. A cardiologist can further specialize into sub specialties within the field of cardiology such as; pediatric cardiology, interventional cardiology, and electrophysiology. A cardiologist pursues additional training beyond that of primary care physicians such as internal medicine. Primary care physicians treat a broad spectrum of diseases while cardiologists specialize in researching, diagnosing and treating heart disease.

After a doctor completes medical school and is licensed to practice medicine, the physician may pursue a rigorous, 3-year training program in Internal Medicine. After passing an examination and completing the requirements, the doctor is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, and is called an Internist.

A cardiologist will complete an additional 2 year residency program to obtain their cardiology fellowship which is followed by Board Certification with the American Board of Clinical Cardiology. Cardiologists can pursue additional training in interventional cardiology or electrophysiology which requires an additional 1-2 year residencies followed by Board Certification in Interventional Cardiology or Cardiac Electrophysiolgy.

Interventional Cardiologists

This is a subspecialty of cardiology where the cardiologist, in addition to diagnostic cardiology, performs procedures to treat heart and blood vessel conditions.

Interventional cardiologists may sometimes refer to themselves as "plumbers" because they open clogged blood vessels in surgical procedures called cardiac catheterizations and balloon angioplasties. Sometimes an interventional cardiologist will place a stent into an artery to keep it open after a balloon angioplasty.

Electrophysiologists (EP)

This is a subspecialty of cardiology where the cardiologist manages and treats the electrical conduction system of the heart. Electricity flows from one heart cell to the next throughout the heart in a regular pattern. The electric system brings about a heart’s muscle contractions, or beats. A problem anywhere along the electrical pathway causes an arrhythmia, or heart rhythm disturbance. By accurately diagnosing the precise cause of an arrhythmia, an electrophysiologist can prescribe the best possible treatment.

Electrophysiologists may sometimes refer to themselves as "electricians" because they work on the electrical components of the heart. Electrophysiologists perform procedures such as; pacemaker implants, defibrillator implants, Bi-v ICD implants, and catheter ablations for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia and Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

Peripheral Cardiologists

This is a subspecialty of cardiology where the cardiologist performs balloon angioplasty and stent placements to blood vessels away from the heart. Peripheral cardiologists may perform a procedure such as carotid angioplasty and stenting.