Cardiology is the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. A cardiologist is a physician who specializes in treating heart conditions such as abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, and disease of the heart valves. A cardiologist can inform your doctor about new drugs or tests that may be beneficial to you.

Some heart conditions can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle, and can be fatal. Methods that cardiologists use to study heart conditions include stress tests, a monitor to record your heart rate and rhythm, a biopsy, which studies a tiny piece of heart tissue, and an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to show a picture of how your heart works.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Blood Clot, Peripheral Vascular Disease, angioplasty, Hypertension, Heart Attack, Congestive heart failure, Angina, Atherosclerosis, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary heart disease, Pericarditis, Ventricular Tachycardia, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Cardiac Arrest, Bigeminy, Heart block, Myxoma, Cardiac Arrhythmias, Tricuspid valve disorders, and Aortic valve disorders.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Gastric Bypass Surgery, Open Heart Surgery, Valve Replacement, Valve Repair, Bypass Surgery, Carotid Artery Surgery, Catheter Ablation, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiac Bypass Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, Laser Angioplasty, Valvuloplasty, Balloon Angioplasty, Atherectomy, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, Coronary Angioplasty, Heart Transplantation, and Carotid Surgery.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Cardiac Stress Test, Holter Monitor, Echocardiogram, Blood Test, Sphygmomanometer, Cardiac Enzymes, IVUS, Electrophysiologic study, and Coronary Catheterization.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Georgia has 701 practicing cardiologists. Broken out by city, cardiology doctor density in Mableton is 1, in Macon is 36, in Marietta is 47, in Metter is 3, in Milledgeville is 5, in Monroe is 3, in Montezuma is 2, in Monticello is 1, in Morrow is 1, and in Moultrie is 1.

Georgia is rich in history, from its statehood in 1788, to its tobacco plantations, to its civil rights memorials. Atlanta is its vibrant capital city, and it offers a myriad of music, arts, sports and nightlife. While in Atlanta, visit the world’s largest aquarium, the Woodruff Arts Center, or the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Ride the Old Town Trolley in Savannah, and listen to some live jazz and blues at one of Savannah’s many festivals. Georgia’s mountain parks offer hiking, biking, climbing, and other outdoor activities. On Georgia’s coastline, you can go boating, deep sea fishing or kayaking in the Atlantic. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge draws many visitors yearly.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Georgia has a population of 9,072,576. Of this population, 2,319,806 are under the age of 18 and 865,997 are at or above the age of 65.