Nearly half of all people in the U.S. have some type of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association, including coronary heart disease (CAD), heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure. Heart disease has also been the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. for over 100 years. So it’s safe to say that at some point, many of us will require care from a cardiologist. In this episode, we break down when you may want to consider seeing a cardiologist and what you can expect so you can make the most out of your care.

Expert: Dr. Joe Aoun, Cardiologist

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered: 

• What is a cardiologist, and what do they do? 
• The common and not-so-common conditions that cardiologists treat 
•  Which cardiologist subspecialists support those specific conditions? 
• Do you need to work with a primary care provider in order to see a cardiologist, or can you make an appointment with a cardiologist directly? 
• The classic symptoms that signal someone should see a cardiologist 
• The symptoms that can be managed during an office visit with a cardiologist, and those that indicate an emergency 
• The risk factors that should make someone consider seeing a cardiologist even if they’re not showing symptoms 
• What you can expect at your first appointment with a cardiologist 
• The tests and questions you may be asked during your first appointment  
• What you can do to make the most out of the cardiologist-patient relationship 

If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, be sure to subscribe. And for more topics like this, visit our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.