What to Expect at Your First Visit to the Cardiologist

Why You Might Schedule an Appointment | What Typically Happens at a First Appointment

What-to-Expect-at-Your-First-Visit-to-the-Cardiologist-ImgCardiologists are medical professionals who specialize in heart issues. In addition to four years of medical school, they also typically complete an additional six to eight years of training before entering the practice of medicine. What are the circumstances under which you might need to see a cardiologist? What can you expect the cardiologist to do at your first appointment?

Why Might You Schedule an Appointment with a Cardiologist?

As a general rule, most people who go see a cardiologist have either suffered a heart-related event or have been referred to the cardiologist by a primary care physician. Among the reasons your doctor may send you to a cardiologist are:

  • Evidence of irregular heart activity, including heart rhythm abnormalities
  • Any warning signs of a potential heart attack or disease, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, heartburn, or indigestion
  • The detection of a heart defect
  • A family history of heart disease
  • Infections that may affect the heart

What Can You Expect at Your Initial Appointment with a Cardiologist?

To some extent, the scope of your first visit will depend on the potential seriousness of your symptoms or condition. Your cardiologist will want to get a complete medical history on you and your family in order to anticipate potential hereditary concerns. Of primary concern will be whether you or anyone biologically related to you has any history of heart disease.

It’s also likely that the cardiologist will perform a thorough medical exam. The cardiologist will likely have charts from your primary care physician but will get information on your weight and any evidence of hypertension, high cholesterol, and other medical factors commonly associated with heart disease.

To help your cardiologist determine a course of treatment, diagnostic tests are typically ordered. Though they generally won’t be conducted at your first visit, you can expect to be scheduled for blood tests, a stress test, and possibly an electrocardiogram (EKG), which shows the cardiologist how effectively and efficiently your heart is working.

Your cardiologist will then talk about short-term and long-term treatment options. You may get a prescription, and the cardiologist may recommend certain lifestyle changes. Some options, though, may be contingent on what your lab tests indicate. The cardiologist may wait until the labs come back or, in some situations, may immediately refer you to a cardiovascular surgeon.

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Cardiologist