Meet the Team

Your body is comprised of more than 60,000 miles of arteries, veins and capillaries that have to be maintained for good health. This means that within one human body there are enough blood vessels, that if laid end to end, would wrap around the earth two and a half times.

The cardiovascular system is complex to say the least, and that means its care requires many different skill sets. For instance, the heart is a muscle that works as a pump, but it is also an electrical generator that must be maintained. And then there are the major and minor vessels that have to remain healthy and capable of allowing blood to flow through every part of the body.

To keep up with the demands of the job, heart doctors have to branch off and focus in different areas of expertise. Here are some cardiovascular specialties.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon

A CT surgeon is trained to perform major heart and valve surgeries. They also treat both diseased and injured organs that are located in the thorax, including the esophagus, trachea, the lungs, pleura (membranes that cover and protect the lungs), diaphragm, and the heart and major blood vessels. List of Bellin Health’s Cardiothoracic Surgeons.

Cardiologist

A cardiologist is a physician who is specially trained and certified to treat heart and vascular problems. List of Bellin Health’s Cardiologists.

  • Electrophysiologist: An EP physician is a cardiologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of electrical problems in the heart that can cause an irregular heartbeat. Patients are seen by an electrophysiologist to determine, among other things, whether they are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. EP physicians play a major role in diagnosing and treating patients with atrial fibrillation and other abnormal heart rhythm maladies, including ventricular fibrillation which can lead to heart attack and death. List of Bellin Health’s Electrophysiologists.
     
  • Interventional Cardiologist: This is a cardiologist who has also received training in the use of catheter-based treatments to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease and other problems. Much of their work is done in the cath lab, performing invasive procedures such as angioplasty, which opens blocked arteries and restores blood flow, and stenting, which is the insertion of a tube-like device in arteries that help sustain clear pathway in previously blocked arteries. They also treat heart valve disease and peripheral artery disease. List of Bellin Health’s Interventional Cardiologists.
     
  • Peripheral Vascular Interventionalist: A peripheral vascular interventionalist is also an interventional cardiologist who focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease in the carotid arteries, which are located in the neck, the aorta, found in the abdomen, and the groin and legs. A patient would see a peripheral cardiologist to determine the presence of peripheral artery disease and to receive treatment via catheter-based techniques to restore blood flow to areas of the body blocked by the build up of plaque, or atherosclerosis. List of Bellin Health’s Peripheral Vascular Interventionalists.