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. Hawaii has 78 practicing cardiologists. Broken out by city, cardiology doctor density in Aiea is 8, in Ewa Beach is 3, in Hilo is 6, in Honolulu is 54, in Kahului is 3, in Kailua is 2, in Kailua Kona is 3, in Kamuela is 4, in Kapolei is 3, in Kaunakakai is 2, in Kealakekua is 1, in Kihei is 2, in Lihue is 4, in Tripler Amc is 1, in Wahiawa is 6, in Waianae is 1, in Wailuku is 7, and in Waipahu is 1.

One of the more popular vacation destinations in the world, Hawaii’s lush tropical environment invites all to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Popular Hawaiian activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, biking to one of Hawaii’s volcanoes, or enjoying a helicopter or horseback ride. Learn about Hawaii’s natural history and culture by attending a luau and watching a traditional hula dance. Hawaii’s population is 1,275,194, and the capital city is Honolulu. Statehood was achieved in 1959, making Hawaii our 50th state. Tourism is Hawaii's largest source of outside income. Visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, experience history at Pearl Harbor, or take a walk on Waikiki Beach, the world’s most famous shoreline.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Hawaii has a population of 1,275,194. Of this population, 198,087 are under the age of 18 and 162,565 are at or above the age of 65.