7 Questions to Ask a Cardiologist if You Have a Serious Condition

The importance of routine check ups are usually not thought about until something potentially serious comes up. In the event that does happen, there’s a good chance the problem will have something to do with your heart.

Approximately one out of every four deaths (600,000 per year, every 33 seconds on average) in the United States is attributed to heart disease. It is the leading cause of death for both men and women. There are many things you can do to improve your health and help prevent a serious condition from arising, but if you find a doctor that discovers something wrong with your heart, you’re going to want to see a specialist.

Here are seven questions to ask a cardiologist in the event you run into a serious heart condition.

What are My Options? The first and most obvious question to ask is what are all the options available to you. Even the ones that might be out of reach, or alternative in nature should be at least considered from the start. Once you have all the information and options, then you can proceed with action.

Can I Get a Second Opinion? Before you get to that action though, another questions to ask a cardiologist is if you can get a second opinion. Hint: the answer is yes. Don’t worry you’re not going to offend anyone. Finding a doctor that is unfamiliar with you will probably be the first place they’ll send you so there’s no prior bias or information to go on.

Who Will Be Performing the Surgery? Not every condition will require surgery, but for those that do finding a medical specialist is crucial. These are questions to ask a cardiologist that they probably won’t know unless they plan on doing the surgery themselves.

How Long Will it Take to Recover? Most cardiologists will be able to give you a pretty good timetable of how the steps will play out and when you will be on your way to recovery.

Will I Ever Feel Normal Again? A fair question and one that they unfortunately might not know the answer to.

What’s the Survival Rate? This is one they should be able to give you concrete data behind, whether that’s good or bad news depends on your condition. It’s always a good idea to know this as far advance as possible in the event the news is dire. That way you have as much time as possible to make plans in the event of tragedy.

What Can I Do to Prevent This In the Future? Any good cardiologist will be able to give you tips and strategies for controlling your diet, physical activity, and other factors that play a role in you heart’s health.