The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year, accounting for a whopping 25 percent of all American deaths. As such, the CDC notes that “heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.”
Contributing to these deaths is a wide array of heart-related diseases and conditions, from coronary artery disease and high blood pressure to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias and heart defects. The specialist doctor who can treat and help manage these conditions is a cardiologist, and if you have any heart-related conditions or diseases, it’s important to find a cardiologist you can work well with over the long term.
Blankenship says a good cardiologist will possess “the same qualities that make any physician great: empathy, courtesy, willingness to listen, wisdom, experience and professionalism.” And he underscores that “the ability to instill and convey hope to the patient – not unrealistic hope, but realistic hope” is also a hallmark of a good cardiologist.
Which Practitioner Do I See, and When?
Elaine K. Howley, Contributor
Elaine Howley began writing for U.S. News in 2017, covering breast cancer and COPD. Since … Read more
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