Heart Disease

Whether you need a heart disease risk assessment and prevention plan, an evaluation to determine the cause of symptoms, or advanced coronary treatment, you can depend on the expertise of Enrique Hernandez, MD, at Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins in Miami, Florida. Dr. Hernandez offers in-office diagnostic testing, personalized care, and extensive training and experience in minimally invasive heart disease treatments. Call the office or request an appointment online today to learn more.

What is heart disease?

Heart disease is a broad term referring to all the conditions affecting your heart and its blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease also encompasses conditions in your heart and includes problems in the blood vessels throughout your body, such as peripheral artery disease (PAD).

A few of the most common heart conditions include:

Coronary artery disease (CAD)

CAD occurs when cholesterol accumulates on the artery wall, restricting the amount of oxygen-rich blood reaching your heart.

Congestive heart failure

Heart failure develops when your heart can’t pump enough oxygen-rich blood. Many heart conditions cause congestive heart failure.

Heart valve disease

The valves in your may stop working properly or thicken and limit blood flow through the heart.

Heart arrhythmias

Arrhythmias occur when your heartbeat is irregular or too slow or fast.

Myocarditis and pericarditis

Myocarditis refers to the inflamed heart muscle, while pericarditis is inflammation of the sac surrounding your heart.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscles enlarge or get too rigid or thick.

What are the symptoms of heart disease?

The symptoms that may appear with every type of heart disease are:

• Chest pain and pressure
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue

You may also experience a range of symptoms, depending on the type of heart disease, including:

• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Swollen legs, ankles, feet, or abdomen (fluid buildup)
• Flu-like symptoms (body aches, joint pain, sore throat, fever)
• Coughing when lying down
• Difficulty lying flat to sleep
• Urinating frequently during the night

If your symptoms are severe, don’t improve, or get worse, don’t wait to schedule an evaluation at Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins.

How is heart disease treated?

Your Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins provider performs diagnostic testing in the office, such as electrocardiograms (EKGs), echocardiograms, cardiac ultrasounds, and stress testing.

Your care is always customized, but heart treatments generally fall into three categories:

Lifestyle modification

Improving your eating habits, getting more exercise, losing weight, and stopping smoking can prevent heart disease, halt disease progression, and improve heart function in advanced diseases.

Medications

Your provider prescribes the medications needed for your heart disease and any underlying conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Minimally invasive (endovascular) procedures

Your Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins provider can perform complex coronary procedures, including angioplasty, stenting, and pacemaker implantation. 

Call Advanced Vascular Cardiac & Veins or request an appointment online today to learn more about preventing and treating heart disease.