Your heart keeps your body alive, pumping blood to tissues, organs, and systems. It’s only natural that an organ as complex as your heart needs the expertise of a special doctor. You and your heart need a cardiologist. The doctors at Virgin Islands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine provide a full range of medical services, under several medical disciplines, including cardiology. They have two convenient office locations in St. Thomas and St. Croix.
What You Need To Know About Cardiology
A cardiologist treats and manages heart conditions, including:
- Angina
- Heart disease
- Congestive heart failure
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis
Visiting a cardiologist regularly can help with early detection of serious medical conditions, including:
- A heart attack
- A stroke
- Heart damage
- Heart failure
When you visit a cardiologist, the cardiologist might order laboratory testing, including blood tests to:
- Determine cholesterol levels
- Determine blood sugar levels
- Determine red and white blood cell counts
The cardiologist might also order diagnostic tests, including:
- An EKG, to check your heart rhythm
- An echocardiogram, to check for structural issues in your heart
- A cardiac stress test, to check how well your heart functions during activity
After a thorough physical examination and diagnosis, your cardiologist can provide treatment to keep you and your heart healthy. Your customized treatment plan may include:
- Medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol
- Medications to correct abnormal heart rhythm or function
- Dietary modifications to reduce fat and salt intake
- Lifestyle modifications to increase heart-healthy exercise, quit smoking, and manage stress
Routine visits to the cardiologist are important, but you should also visit your cardiologist if you are experiencing:
- Chest pain or pressure that feels like a squeezing sensation
- Radiating pain into your neck, jaw, shoulders, or arms
- Chest pain that doesn’t resolve, even when you rest
- Increasing chest pain, paleness, sweating, and breathing problems
- An irregular or rapid pulse or heartbeat
Want To Know More?
To find out more about the benefits of seeing a cardiologist and how a cardiologist can help you, call the doctors at Virgin Islands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. You can reach them in St. Thomas location by calling (340) 714-2845, or in St. Croix by calling (340) 692-5000, so call today.