Heart healers

Your routine bloodwork from your annual primary care visit revealed you have high cholesterol. Your heart feels like it’s fluttering, leaving you dizzy and fatigued. Your latest blood pressure reading is off the charts.

Though common cardiovascular conditions can be managed through lifestyle changes and medications, more complex or serious heart disease may warrant a referral to a cardiologist. But within cardiology, there are multiple different specialties. How do you know which you need? The experts with Baptist Heart Specialists weighed in.

General adult cardiologist

You can think of your general adult cardiologist, sometimes referred to as a preventive cardiologist, as the gateway into heart specialty care; you’ll likely receive a referral to one if your health condition exceeds the scope of your primary care physician. Whether you’re having problems like chest pains or high cholesterol, a general cardiologist can perform evaluations and run bloodwork to determine what the problem is and how to best address it.

“We also help patients make lifestyle changes to prevent heart disease or keep existing problems from getting worse,” said Geetanjali Dang, MD, MS, FACC. “Once we run bloodwork and other testing, we can determine whether the patient may benefit from a different heart specialist.”

Interventional cardiologist

When doctors suspect disease or blockages in the heart or its vessels, they may refer you to an interventional cardiologist. These doctors specialize in minimally invasive catheter-based procedures, which means patients can often go home the same day or soon after.

“Some of our procedures are exploratory to determine whether there are blockages in the vessels and, if so, whether we can use a balloon [angioplasty] and/or place a stent to open them back up right then and there,” said Siddarth Wayangankar, MD, MPH, FACC, interventional cardiologist and medical director of Baptist Heart Hospital’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab.

Heart surgeon

A cardiologist often works in collaboration with a heart surgeon for patients with blockages too large or complex to be treated via catheter, congenital heart defects or heart failure, among other things.

One of the more common heart surgeries performed in the United States is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). During this procedure, the surgeon reroutes blood flow around a blockage by connecting healthy blood vessels from elsewhere above and below the diseased portion of artery.

“Heart surgeries can be complex, and it’s understandable for patients and their families to be nervous when they need one,“ said Nathan Bates, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery for Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville. “Baptist Heart Hospital received the highest possible rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for excellent patient care and outcomes, which means patients can rest assured they’re in good hands here.”

Electrophysiologist

An estimated 12.1 million people in the United States have atrial fibrillation (Afib), according to the CDC, making it the most common type of heart arrhythmia. Those who are diagnosed with Afib or another heart rhythm disorder will likely end up in the care of an electrophysiologist, a specialist who focuses on the heart’s electrical activity (rhythm). Think of these specialists like electricians for your heart!

Signs of a heart rhythm disorder include pounding, pressure or fluttering in the chest; dizziness or fainting; fatigue and shortness of breath.

“When left untreated, arrhythmias like Afib can increase your risk of life-threatening events like cardiac arrest and stroke,” said Christopher Austin, MD, FACC, clinical cardiac electrophysiologist. “The Heart Rhythm Center at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville is a one-stop-destination for procedures to treat arrhythmias, including catheter-based ablations and implantation of defibrillators, pacemakers and other devices.”

Cardiac imaging specialist

It’s impossible to diagnose certain heart conditions without getting a good look at the organ. Cardiac imaging specialists make that possible without having to surgically open the chest.

Scans include:

• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Cardiac computer tomography angiography (CTA)
• Echocardiography
• Vascular ultrasound

“The detailed images we get allow us to determine what the problem is and how we should treat it,” said Shreya Ghetiya, MD, FACC, director of echocardiography for Baptist Heart Specialists.

Peripheral vascular disease specialist

Heart doctors don’t always stick to the chest; sometimes, a problem can arise in the vessels extending from the heart to elsewhere in the body. For example, a buildup of plaque in the veins or arteries can lead to peripheral vascular disease (PVD), an umbrella term for diseases of the vessels that includes peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Symptoms of PVD include cold feet, heavy legs, swollen limbs, varicose veins and change in skin color or texture.

“People who have a history of smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are at greatest risk for developing PVD,” said Bharat Gummadi, MD, an interventional cardiologist. “Those who take action immediately may be able to improve the condition through lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and exercising. To prevent additional narrowing, we may have to use blood thinners like aspirin. In severe cases, we can use minimally invasive procedures to remove the blockage and restore blood flow.”

Sleep medicine specialist

We all know a good night’s rest is critical to how we feel the next day, but sleep is also crucial to heart health. According to the CDC, adults who sleep fewer than the recommended seven hours each night are more likely to report having high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Additionally, sleep conditions like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can, when left untreated, lead to heart conditions like Afib, palpitations, heart failure and stroke.

“Research shows that untreated sleep apnea may raise your chance of dying from heart disease by up to five times,” said Peter Nassar, MD, FAASM, FCCP, sleep medicine specialist and medical director of The Jacksonville Sleep Center. “People often delay treatment for a sleep disorder. We want to help prevent these problems and improve their quality of life. They don’t have to live with being exhausted.”

Structural heart specialist

When imaging reveals an issue with the heart’s structure – chambers, valves, walls and muscles – a patient may be referred to a structural heart specialist. Think of these specialists like sophisticated plumbers for your heart.

For years, structural heart disease was treated with open-heart surgery, resulting in lengthy stays and recovery times. With advances in transcatheter interventions, many of these problems can be fixed with catheter-based, minimally invasive procedures. Common procedures include transcatheter aortic, mitral and tricuspid valve replacements and repairs, closure of congenital defects/holes in the heart, and closure of left atrial appendage for people with Afib to get off blood thinners.

“We are a center of excellence for these minimally invasive structural heart procedures with the highest volume in the state of Florida and outcomes above the national median. We are also at the forefront of innovation by having multiple international research trials for future technology and devices, and provide the best possible care to our community right here in Jacksonville,” said Ruby Satpathy, MD, FACC, FSCAI, director of the Structural Heart Program at Baptist Health.

No matter the heart condition, Baptist Heart Specialists has the expert to help. To learn more or make an appointment, call 904.720.0799.