A cardiology physician is a doctor who furthered their education after completing all the other requirements to become a doctor. These additional years were spent studying the heart, veins, and arteries. This doctor is a heart specialist. If your primary care physician feels there is a problem with your heart or blood vessels they will refer you to a cardiologist.

Here are a few situations that usually mean you will need to see this specialist.

High Blood Pressure

Having high blood pressure does not always mean you need to see a cardiologist, but if lifestyle and diet changes and medication are not helping, your doctor will refer you to a specialist to help get things under control. This will reduce the risk of a stroke or heart attack. The cardiologist will have more tests done to get a clear view of your heart and circulatory system. They will also have you take a stress test to find out how much your heart can handle.

High Cholesterol 

When your LDL cholesterol levels are high, you are at high-risk for coronary artery disease. Your blood vessels will become lined with a plaque-like substance that limits the amount of blood that can pass through to all the organs and muscles in your body. This can result in a stroke, heart attack, and some other life-threatening problems. A cardiologist will use different imaging tests to get a clear view of what is going on in your heart and blood vessels. If there is too much plaque, and the blood is not flowing adequately, the specialist may suggest surgery to clean out the plaque. 

Diabetes

People with diabetes are more likely to develop heart conditions. Your primary care physician may refer you to a cardiologist where you will have cardiovascular lab services so the specialist can work with you to prevent heart diseases that may show up because of diabetes. If there are already problems, the specialist will work with your doctor to take care of the situation.

Any type of heart disease or problem is no joking matter. If you are referred to a cardiology physician be sure to keep the appointment and follow the doctor's suggestions for ways to reverse the problems. While you may find some of the suggestions hard to follow at first, it is the best way to ensure you become healthy. The habits you may have to give up are not worth your life.

To find out more, contact a company like Desert Cardiovascular Consultants.