Heart problems often begin with symptoms that people put down to age or stress, such as chest discomfort, breathlessness on climbing stairs, palpitations or swelling of the feet. The internal medicine team makes the first assessment with blood pressure, an ECG and blood tests, and starts treatment for risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Apex also has a dedicated cardiology department, which the physician involves when tests show a heart problem needing specialist care.
Chest pain that is severe, spreads to the arm or jaw, or comes with sweating or fainting needs emergency attention. Medicines can have side effects, and some patients need procedures that the cardiology team explains separately.
Care in this subspecialty includes:
