Frequently Asked Questions

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

• What is a cardiologist?
  A cardiologist is a physician who is certified to treat problems of the cardiovascular system‹the heart, arteries, and veins. Cardiology is classified as an internal medicine subspecialty. Knowledge of internal medicine and other specialties is required to obtain certification.
• What is a heart attack?
  The heart is a four chamber organ that pumps oxygen and blood to all the other organs and muscles in the body. The heart needs its own oxygen and blood supply to perform this demanding job. Coronary arteries feed the heart muscle its oxygen and blood supply. Plaque deposits usually made of cholesterol, fats, fibrous tissue and white blood cells can develop on the wall of these coronary arteries. These plaque deposits can become unstable and rupture due to high blood pressure, smoking and a high cholesterol, high fat diet. When the plaque deposits crack or rupture, white blood cells and fat leak into the blood stream forming a clot. Because the blood clot stops blood flow through the artery, the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen and blood. After 20 minutes of no blood flow to a certain area of heart muscle, that area of muscle dies. This is called a heart attack or myocardial infarction.
• How do I know this discomfort is related to my heart?
  Heart pain (angina) is a discomfort caused by a narrowed coronary artery. an adequate amount of blood and oxygen is unable to reach the heart muscle and symptoms occur. You may have heard "chest pain" used to describe these symptoms, but the discomfort may not occur in the chest and it may not be experienced as pain. Therefore, we prefer to use the term "angina". Angina is a warning signal and does not always mean a heart attack is occurring. Angina may occur in many different locations: chest, arms, shoulders, neck, back, or jaw. It may feel like pressure, burning, squeezing, fullness, tightness, aching, crushing, heaviness, or dull discomfort. Your only symptom may also be extreme fatigue. If the coronary artery is narrowed but not blocked, the angina may be of brief duration and relieved by rest and/or nitroglycerine. If the coronary artery is completely blocked and a heart attack is occurring, the discomfort may wax and wane, but it will always come back. Rest and/or nitroglycerine will not relieve it, and you may also experience sweating, nausea and/or vomiting, shortness of breath, weakness, or fainting. Many people describe angina that mimics gastrointestinal (GI) distress. If the discomfort can be relieved by an antacid and does not return, it is most likely not angina. After heart surgery, people sometimes have difficulty telling the difference between chest wall/incisional pain and angina. Incisional discomfort varies from person to person. it may be described as an aching or throbbing sensation or as a sharp pinprick like pain. The discomfort is often brief and can be brought on by movement. If you can reproduce the discomfort by pressing on the area where it occurs, it is most likely chest wall or muscular pain. Pain medications and/or a change in position will usually relieve this type of discomfort. If you are unsure of the type of pain you are experiencing, you should consult your physician. If the discomfort is at all like your symptoms of angina, take your Nitroglycerine if you have been instructed to do so, or call 911.
• What are the major risk factors of heart disease?
  The major risk factors for heart disease are smoking, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, age, gender, and heredity (including race).
• What is high blood pressure and how is it treated?
  Your heart pumps blood through a network of arteries, veins, and capillaries. The moving blood pushes against the arterial walls, and this force is measured as blood pressure. High blood pressure results from the tightening of very small arteries (arterioles) that regulate the blood flow through your body. As these arterioles tighten (or constrict), your heart has to work harder to pump blood through the smaller space, and the pressure inside the vessels grows. High blood pressure is so dangerous because it often has no symptoms. High blood pressure tends to run in families. Men are at higher risk than women, and blacks are at greater risk than whites. In most cases, high blood pressure can be controlled by eating a low-fat and/or low-salt diet; losing weight, if necessary; beginning a regular exercise program; learning to manage stress; quitting smoking; and drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all. Medicines, called antihypertensives, are available if these changes do not help control your blood pressure within 3 to 6 months.

Next