Several types of doctors diagnose and treat conditions related to the heart and vascular system. All are highly trained, having completed college, four years of medical school and a residency of, at minimum, three years that focuses on their specialty area. Those who choose particularly specialized areas may then complete an additional fellowship, lasting several years, that gives them more training and practice.
Cardiologist
A cardiologist focuses on patients who have atherosclerosis, meaning hardening of the arteries, as well as those with other common heart and vessel issues such as arrhythmias, valve disorders and heart failure. Besides prescribing medicines, such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, a cardiologist may perform catheterizations and implant devices such as pacemakers.
Interventional Cardiologists
Interventional cardiologists practice in a narrower scope than do general cardiologists. They focus on minimally invasive procedures using catheters. Much of their time is spent performing angioplasties and placing stents to keep blood vessels open.
Surgeons
For procedures more complex than a cardiologist or interventional cardiologist, you must see a cardiac or vascular surgeon. Cardiac surgeons focus on the heart and perform procedures such as bypass surgery, heart valve replacement and heart transplants. Vascular surgeons perform some of the same work but focus more on the vessels. In addition to coronary artery bypass, they commonly perform operations such as aneurysm repair and endarterectomy , in which they open an artery and remove plaque buildup.
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