Heart Disease Specialist
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Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists
Cardiovascular Specialists located in Mountain View, CA
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in American women and men, which is why the physicians, at Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists is dedicated to preventing heart disease when possible and providing advanced and effective treatments when heart problems develop. Whether you need a risk assessment, screening, or ongoing management of a heart condition, you’ll receive customized care from the medical team. To schedule an appointment, call the office in Mountain View, California, or use the online booking system.
Heart Disease Q & A
What are the most common types of heart disease?
Heart disease, which is also called cardiovascular disease, includes a long list of conditions that may affect your heart and blood vessels. These are a few examples of heart disease:
- Coronary artery disease (plaque blocks arteries supplying blood to your heart)
- Peripheral artery disease (plaque blocks arteries serving your legs, arms, and abdomen)
- Heart valve disease (valvular stenosis)
- Vascular disease (blood clots, aneurysm)
- Heart arrhythmias (irregular, slow, or fast heart rhythm)
- Heart muscle disease (myocarditis, cardiomyopathy)
The most common type of heart disease, however, is coronary artery disease.
What should I know about coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease develop due to the same problem: atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis begins when cholesterol and other substances build up on the artery wall, creating an area of plaque.
Over time, the plaque enlarges and hardens, blocking blood flow to your heart. Without enough oxygenated blood, heart muscles are damaged and weakened, leading to chest pain or a heart attack.
What symptoms develop due to heart disease?
Heart disease symptoms vary, depending on the type of disease. However, most heart problems cause:
- Chest pain
- Feeling of pressure in your chest
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Beyond these common symptoms, you may experience:
- Racing or fluttering heart (arrhythmias)
- Swollen legs (arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and renal artery disease)
- Leg pain when you walk (peripheral artery disease)
- Difficulty speaking, dizziness, weakness (carotid artery disease)
This is only a partial list of potential symptoms that can develop from the many types of heart disease.
How is heart disease diagnosed and treated?
The Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists Medical Team has extensive experience performing many advanced diagnostic tests, but your initial diagnosis usually begins with an electrocardiogram (EKG) and echocardiogram.
An EKG records the electrical activity in your heart, while an echocardiogram uses ultrasound to create detailed images showing your heart beating and pumping blood.
Treatment for your heart disease is individualized, depending on the type and severity of the disease. The first line of treatment usually includes medications and lifestyle changes such as eating a heart-healthy diet and losing weight, if necessary.
When conservative measures don’t help, or your heart disease is severe, the physician team specializes in endovascular procedures to repair the underlying problem.
Whether you need balloon angioplasty and stenting to remove atherosclerotic plaques or you need a pacemaker to regulate your heartbeat, you can depend on the medical staff's expertise.
If you need treatment for heart disease, call Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists or schedule an appointment online.
