You may be asking yourself how do you know if you do or do not need a cardiologist.

The cardiovascular system is made up of the blood, heart, and blood vessels. Also known as the circulatory system, it allows blood to circulate and transport the necessary nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones and blood cells to and from the cells in the body and help in fighting diseases. You’ve got oxygenated blood that is carried into the arteries and deoxygenated blood carried into the veins (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/circulatory_system). There are scenarios when symptoms present themselves, due to the heart muscle not pumping appropriately, backflow of blood, lack of oxygen and blood to the heart muscle (also known as ischemia), and calcified plaque buildup in the arteries- to name a few. Symptoms may include but are not limited to:

  • shortness of breath
  • dizziness (could be caused by unstable blood pressure)
  • fainting spells (caused by low blood flow)
  • chest pain (also known as angina and caused when the heart does not get enough oxygen) or discomfort
  • palpitations (irregular heartbeat, skipped beats, or a “flipflop” feeling)
  • nausea
  • extreme weakness
  • sweating
  • weight gain or swelling in the ankles, legs, and abdomen
  • anxiety

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, now is the time to become established with a cardiologist.

Male Doctor And Female Patient In Hospital Office

Heart disease has shown to be very prominent. Therefore, cardiologists specialize in the treatment of the cardiovascular system. A therapy plan from your cardiologist may consist of advice about diet and lifestyle changes, prescriptions, and/or heart surgery of varying degrees. Our team of cardiologists at the Jackson Heart Clinic also takes a strong stand on education and the prevention of heart disease, while promoting heart health to the community at large. Our mission is to set the standard in the delivery of quality, personalized care. We believe the needs of our patients come first. Specialties of the Jackson Heart Clinic include: invasive cardiology, non-invasive cardiology, congestive heart failure, electrophysiology, peripheral arterial disease, structural heart disease, and chronic venous insufficiency. Services we offer through procedures and diagnostic testing can be viewed here: https://jacksonheart.com/services/. To learn more about the following cardiology conditions: arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, cholesterol, coronary artery disease, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, venous insufficiency and venous ulcers, and how to care for someone with cardiovascular disease, along with heart healthy recipes, visit our patient library.

***Please note: If you have severe shortness of breath or experience any of the following symptoms with chest pain, you should call 911. (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-a-cardiologist):

  • a sudden feeling of squeezing, tightness, or pressure under your breastbone
  • pain that spreads to your jaw, left arm, or back
  • sudden sharp chest pain with shortness of breath, especially following a period of inactivity
  • nausea, dizziness, rapid heart rate or rapid breathing, confusion, ashen color, or excessive sweating
  • very low blood pressure or very low heart rate