Heart Doctors at Emanuel Medical Center
Heart doctors, also called cardiologists or cardiac specialists, diagnose, treat and prevent disorders of the heart and circulatory system. A general physician refers a patient to a cardiac specialist when he or she exhibits symptoms of heart disease
or has a high risk of developing one.
While all heart doctors deal with the heart and the circulatory system, different types of cardiologists focus on specific conditions and patients:
- Noninvasive cardiologist – a cardiovascular doctor specializing in diagnosing and treating heart disease through noninvasive techniques.
- Invasive cardiologist – When noninvasive treatments and procedures are not enough to treat a condition, a patient may be referred to an invasive cardiologist to perform a catheterization which allows doctors to evaluate blocked arteries
and faulty heart valves.
- Interventional cardiologist – a cardiovascular doctor specializing in angioplasty and stent placements. They also clean up arteries and perform other invasive techniques to see if there is a need for surgical intervention.
- Cardiothoracic surgeon – a heart surgeon for heart, lungs and thorax operations. They perform coronary artery bypass surgery, fix or replace heart valves, treat aneurysms and other surgeries concerning the parts covered by the rib cage.
- Vascular surgeon – a heart surgeon who treats issues in the arteries, veins and lymphatic systems of the heart, brain or circulatory system.
- Electrophysiologist – a heart doctor specializing in abnormal heart rhythms, palpitations and fibrillations.
- Pediatric cardiologist – a cardiovascular specialist who focuses on children’s heart conditions.
Our heart hospital in Turlock is ready to help you connect with heart doctors who can provide you with the specialized, high-quality cardiovascular care you deserve.
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases are diseases or conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. Most cardiovascular diseases involve atherosclerosis, which is when plaque builds up in the arterial walls. Plaque narrows the arteries, which can cause various
diseases such as:
Heart attack
Heart attacks occur when there is a blockage in the heart due to a blood clot. If the blood flow gets cut off completely, the muscle supplied by the blocked artery will begin to die.
Stroke
The most common type of stroke, ischemic stroke, occurs when a blockage in the blood vessel supplies blood to the brain.
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when uncontrolled hypertension causes the bursting of a blood vessel.
Heart failure
Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart is not supplying enough oxygen-rich blood to the body.
Arrhythmia
Abnormal heart rhythms are called arrhythmia, which means the heart beats too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia) or irregularly. This may be an issue because the heart may not pump enough blood to the whole body.
Heart valve problems
Problems arise when the heart valves have issues opening or closing or when a point in the valve leaflets. Stenosis occurs when the heart valves do not open enough for blood flow. Regurgitation, on the other hand, occurs
when the heart valves do not close properly, which causes the blood to leak. Prolapse occurs when valve leaflets bulge or prolapse back to the upper chamber.
When to See a Cardiologist
Certain situations require seeing a heart doctor, such as:
- Having a heart disease that requires consistent monitoring and specialized care, such as a heart attack, angina or heart failure
- High risk for heart disease, such as having a history of heart disease, high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol in the family
- Having unusual changes in the results of the EKG test
- Needing specialized heart procedures such as cardiac catheterization
When it comes to heart disease, do not delay care. Call 911 and go to the nearest cardiovascular hospital, if you experience heart disease symptoms such as:
- Chest pain or discomfort that doesn't go away
- Pain, weakness or numbness of legs and/or arms
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat or palpitations
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
- Fatigue
- Swelling of limbs
- Unconsciousness
- Seizures
- Blue or pale tingling of knees, hands and lips
The above heart disease symptoms are considered a heart emergency, which can be a heart attack, a cardiac arrest or an angina attack. Please go to the nearest heart and vascular center if you experience one or a combination of these symptoms.
Cardiovascular Services
At Emanuel Medical Center, our experienced cardiovascular doctors are dedicated to providing comprehensive cardiovascular care. Here are some treatments and tests that your cardiologist may recommend to diagnose your heart condition accurately:
- Auscultation
- Blood pressure readings
- Blood tests
- Cardiac stress testing
- Computed tomography angiography (CTA)
- Echocardiogram
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Event monitor
- Holter monitor
- Intravascular ultrasound
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Stress tests
Once diagnosed, cardiologists might suggest the following cardiovascular services:
- Medication – your cardiac specialist may recommend medications to reduce pain, reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and improve blood flow or regular heart rhythm.
- Lifestyle change
- Manage body weight
- Get regular exercise
- Diet
- Quit smoking
- Procedures and surgery
- Angioplasty
- Atherectomy
- Bypass Surgery
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiomyoplasty
- Heart transplant
- Heart valve replacement surgery
- Pacemaker insertion
- Stent Placement
Click here for more information on Emanuel Medical Center's Cardiology Services.
Nationally Accredited Chest Pain Center
Our heart hospital is an Accredited Heart Attack Receiving Center, which means that we meet a rigid set of standards for treating patients with chest pain, significantly improving your chance of recovery if you have a heart attack.
At Emanuel
Medical Center, we follow a systematic, protocol-driven approach that allows our cardiac specialists to reduce the time to treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack. We will start by determining whether your condition can be diagnosed
and managed through a less invasive treatment in our catheterization lab.
Our heart hospital's Emergency Department integrates with the local emergency medical system to ensure prompt treatment. Emanuel Medical Center also supports community
outreach programs that educate the public on what to do in case of heart attack symptoms.
Our heart hospital in Turlock, CA has a cardiovascular care program that includes a cardiac catheterization and interventional laboratory and a heart attack receiving center.
