You Have a Heart Doctor in Central PA

Cardiology

Learning you have heart disease or finding out you need to see a heart doctor can be tough. You understandably want the best care possible. After all, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among men and women in the U.S., including central PA. Fortunately, you can find an expert Penn Highlands cardiologist in our regional cardiology clinics in DuBois, Altoona, Brookville, Clearfield and other communities throughout central Pennsylvania.

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Heart Doctors Who Provide Comprehensive Cardiac Care

If you have a heart condition, a cardiologist, or heart doctor, can determine what’s causing your symptoms, such as shortness of breath, chest pain or dizzy spells. It’s important to see a cardiologist for these symptoms, as they often require specialized testing, which a cardiologist can perform or order. Penn Highlands cardiologists offer certain types of cardiac testing in their offices or outpatient centers or perform advanced heart tests at one of our nearby hospitals.

If you are diagnosed with a heart disease or problem, a cardiologist is the doctor who will develop your treatment plan. For chronic heart diseases, your cardiologist will help you manage the condition so that you can maintain the healthiest and most active lifestyle possible.

Your cardiologist may prescribe medication, recommend cardiac rehabilitation, or work with you on lifestyle changes. that can help improve your heart health and help you reduce your risk for future heart attacks, strokes or congestive heart failure. Your Penn Highlands cardiologist has the skills and training necessary to perform cardiac catheterization or balloon angioplasty, which is a procedure used to clear blockages in your arteries. Your cardiologist will also work closely with your primary care doctor to maintain your overall health and can refer you to a cardiac surgeon, if needed.

Conditions Heart Doctors Treat

Your Penn Highlands cardiologist has the skill and expertise to diagnose any heart problem. This type of heart doctor typically can treat or manage all of the most common heart problems and will refer you to heart specialists, such as heart surgeons, if necessary.

Some of the conditions our heart doctors treat include:

Arrhythmia is a common and usually harmless condition that causes the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. Sometimes, very irregular rhythms can lead to serious heart problems, which is why arrhythmia needs to be evaluated by a cardiologist who specializes in heart rhythm disorders, called an electrophysiologist.
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of the arteries that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. This condition is cause by plaque buildup that is the result of fats, cholesterol and calcium collecting in your arteries. Without treatment, this condition can cause blockages that lead to heart attack, stroke or heart failure.
Atrial fibrillation, or Afib for short, is a type of arrhythmia that causes a very fast heartbeat. Afib can develop as a person gets older and significantly increases the risk for heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Many common Afib risk factors can be controlled with lifestyle changes and medication, such as high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common condition that occurs when blood applies excess force on your artery walls as it’s being pumped throughout your body. It can lead to arrhythmia, heart attack and stroke. It can be controlled with lifestyle changes, such as eating better, losing weight and exercising. Sometimes medication is needed to control it.
Peripheral vascular disease also called peripheral arterial disease, is the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels outside the heart. It most commonly affects the legs but can occur in the arms as well. Cardiologists can manage this disease or may refer you to a vascular specialist.
Heart murmurs are when there is a whooshing sound between heartbeats. They are usually harmless but can sometimes signal an underlying condition. That’s why it’s important for anyone with a heart murmur to be evaluated by a cardiologist.