A cardiovascular specialist specializes in issues related to the cardiovascular system, which is made up of the heart and circulatory system. Some cardiovascular specialists (also “vascular” specialists) work with patients that have existing conditions, while others focus on diagnosis and treatment. Still, some work in adult or pediatric treatment and others work with specific issues such as transplants, defibrillators or artificial hearts. Some vascular specialists work in all areas of vascular health from prevention to treatment.
There are several ways to locate a vascular specialist that deals with your particular condition. You can talk to your family physician who will give you several referrals. Ask your doctor how long he’s worked with the specialists on his list and which ones he highly recommends. Other ways to locate a vascular specialist include contacting a few local hospitals for a referral list, checking with your health insurance provider and using resources provided by professional groups. These include:
·The Society of Interventional Radiology
·The Society for Vascular Surgery
·The Society for Vascular Medicine
The Society of Interventional Radiology allows users to search for doctors by specialty using the sites “Doctor Finder.” The Society for Vascular Surgery of the American Vascular Association has a “Find a Vascular Specialist” feature that allows users to search by state, country and/or name. The Society for Vascular Medicine “Physician Finder” allows users to search for vascular specialists by state.
For information about cardiovascular health, visit the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.
