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. Pennsylvania has 1,678 practicing cardiologists. Broken out by city, cardiology doctor density in Abington is 32, in Aliquippa is 7, in Altoona is 13, in Ardmore is 30, in Beaver Falls is 4, in Bethlehem is 42, in Bloomsburg is 2, in Bradford is 11, in Bristol is 26, in Burgettstown is 2, in Butler is 21, in Camp Hill is 15, in Carbondale is 14, in Chalfont is 5, in Chester is 29, in Chinchilla is 3, in Clairton is 24, in Clarion is 6, in Clearfield is 3, in Coal Township is 3, in Collegeville is 15, in Columbia is 2, in Connellsville is 6, in Coraopolis is 6, in Corry is 21, in Darby is 21, in Drexel Hill is 20, in Easton is 24, in Erie is 43, in Fairless Hills is 1, in Farrell is 6, in Fishertown is 4, in Franklin is 4, in Gibsonia is 10, in Glen Mills is 3, in Greensburg is 11, in Hanover is 4, in Harrisburg is 40, in Haverford is 2, in Hazleton is 4, in Hermitage is 6, in Hershey is 43, in Huntingdon is 3, in Irwin is 3, in Jeannette is 12, in Johnstown is 18, in King Of Prussia is 2, in Kingston is 9, in Kittanning is 5, in Lancaster is 41, in Langhorne is 39, in Latrobe is 4, in Lebanon is 5, in Lehighton is 19, in Lewisburg is 4, in Limerick is 4, in Lower Burrell is 4, in Mars is 1, in Mckeesport is 7, in Meadowbrook is 19, in Meadville is 11, in Milford is 2, in Monaca is 1, in Monongahela is 8, in Monroeville is 21, in Montoursville is 1, in Montrose is 1, in Mount Pleasant is 3, in Nanticoke is 1, in New Castle is 10, in New Kensington is 6, in Norristown is 24, in North Charleroi is 1, in Oil City is 2, in Palmerton is 3, in Paoli is 20, in Philadelphia is 451, in Phoenixville is 7, in Pittsburgh is 293, in Pittston is 3, in Plains is 5, in Pottsville is 3, in Reading is 16, in Roaring Spring is 2, in Sayre is 13, in Scranton is 32, in Seneca is 1, in Sharon is 3, in Slippery Rock is 4, in Southampton is 5, in State College is 8, in Sunbury is 2, in Susquehanna is 2, in Towanda is 1, in Warren is 8, in Washington is 16, in Waynesburg is 3, in Williamsport is 10, in Yardley is 23, and in York is 15.

Pennsylvania was the second state admitted to the union in 1787, and has a rich historical background. The population of Pennsylvania is 12,429,616, and its capital is Harrisburg. Historical sites include Valley Forge National Historical Park, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross House. Visit the Andy Warhol museum in Pittsburgh, the American Civil War Museum in Gettysburg, or tour the Indian Caverns in Spruce Creek.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Pennsylvania has a population of 12,429,616. Of this population, 2,754,906 are under the age of 18 and 1,887,277 are at or above the age of 65.