Choosing a Heart Specialist

Cardiologist
A “generalist” heart doctor who recommends medicines, lifestyle changes, and procedures to help reduce your risk for developing heart disease, slow its progress, or prevent a heart attack. Your cardiologist will also coordinate with other specialists to ensure you receive care for other medical conditions that could increase your risk for heart disease.

Heart Surgeon, Thoracic Surgeon
A surgeon who performs cardiac surgery, including heart transplant surgery, and who implants heart devices.

Interventional or Structural Cardiologist
A cardiologist specially trained in catheter-based procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions (such as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, atherosclerosis, and valve disease) and structural problems with the heart vessels, chambers, or valves.

Electrophysiologist
A cardiologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating electrical and conduction problems that may cause arrhythmias. Electrophysiologists perform catheterization procedures such as cardiac ablation as well as pacemaker and defibrillator implantation surgery, as well as lead extractions, when needed.

Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Cardiologist
A cardiologist who works with people with heart failure who need long-term care or advanced surgical intervention, such as a ventricular assist device (VAD) or a heart transplant. 

Adult Congenital Heart Disease Specialist
A doctor who treats adults born with congenital heart defects that affect heart chambers, heart valves, or major blood vessels.

Genetic Heart Disease Team
A team of specially trained cardiologists and genetic counselors who help diagnose and manage patients with inherited forms of heart disease or who have a gene that makes them more susceptible to heart problems.

Heart Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation Specialists
Our heart disease prevention cardiologists evaluate your risk for heart disease and work with you to establish lasting, heart-healthy lifestyle changes to lower or eliminate that risk.

For people who have recently experienced a cardiac event, such as a heart attack, or who are recovering from heart surgery, our cardiac rehabilitation team helps you rebuild your health and well-being through medically supervised exercise and lifestyle management programs.