Heart Failure: Who are the Heart Doctors?
Princess Igwe, Mercer University College of Pharmacy/ InpharmDTM
According to the American Heart Association, heart failure is a chronic, complex condition resulting from weakened heart muscle that is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.1 Because of this complexity, it is recommended that patients work in conjunction with their doctor(s) to manage this condition. But who are the heart doctors? Heart failure patients may have to work with multiple healthcare professionals and the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure suggests that having multiple doctors and approaches can reduce rates of hospitalization and death from heart failure.2 There are many different types of doctors that specialize in the heart and its structures. Doctors who are knowledgeable in …show more content…
The PCP is usually the first doctor that a patient visits when a medical illness or medical concern arises and has a general knowledge of the entire human body and the diseases that affect it. The PCP is trained to handle first encounters and provides continuing care for patients with any undiagnosed sign or symptom regardless of problem origin or organ system. PCPs may be general practitioners, family physicians, pediatricians, geriatricians, or gynecologists and work in a variety of settings (i.e. office, hospital, long-term care facility), providing patient education, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.3
The Internist. A primary care physician may also be an internist, a physician that specializes in general internal medicine. Internists focus on providing long-term, comprehensive medical care, diagnosis and treatment to adults only. Internists have the ability to manage mild to moderate forms of heart failure, however internists can undergo additional training and subspecialize in an area of internal medicine, such as
Princess Igwe, Mercer University College of Pharmacy/ InpharmDTM
According to the American Heart Association, heart failure is a chronic, complex condition resulting from weakened heart muscle that is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.1 Because of this complexity, it is recommended that patients work in conjunction with their doctor(s) to manage this condition. But who are the heart doctors? Heart failure patients may have to work with multiple healthcare professionals and the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure suggests that having multiple doctors and approaches can reduce rates of hospitalization and death from heart failure.2 There are many different types of doctors that specialize in the heart and its structures. Doctors who are knowledgeable in …show more content…
The PCP is usually the first doctor that a patient visits when a medical illness or medical concern arises and has a general knowledge of the entire human body and the diseases that affect it. The PCP is trained to handle first encounters and provides continuing care for patients with any undiagnosed sign or symptom regardless of problem origin or organ system. PCPs may be general practitioners, family physicians, pediatricians, geriatricians, or gynecologists and work in a variety of settings (i.e. office, hospital, long-term care facility), providing patient education, disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.3
The Internist. A primary care physician may also be an internist, a physician that specializes in general internal medicine. Internists focus on providing long-term, comprehensive medical care, diagnosis and treatment to adults only. Internists have the ability to manage mild to moderate forms of heart failure, however internists can undergo additional training and subspecialize in an area of internal medicine, such as