At Granger Medical Clinics our family physicians and internal medicine specialists will schedule regular examinations for all of our patients based on their age, health issues and other factors.
At these regular visits, it is important to talk to your doctor about any changes or health issues you experience. Additionally, if you notice any signs of health issues that may indicate potential problems with the heart and cardiovascular system it will be critical to make an appointment. At that time your family physician may recommend scheduling an appointment with one of our cardiologists to diagnose and treat any possible heart problems.
Seeing a cardiologist may be recommended if you experience one or more of the following symptoms of heart problems. Remember, sometimes the early symptoms may not seem like they are directly related to the heart and knowing these signs is essential.
Digestive Problems
Many patients that come in to talk to their doctor about heartburn or indigestion end up with a referral to the cardiology specialist. This is because issues of pain in the stomach, heartburn, nausea and what appears to be indigestion can also occur during a heart attack.
People with a history of heart or cardiovascular disease in their family, or those with hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes or other risk factors should schedule an immediate appointment with their family physician or their cardiologist.
Dizziness or Fainting
People may feel dizzy or faint for many different reasons including being dehydrated, skipping meals or even with specific medications. Dizziness that is more chronic and not related to these external issues can be a sign of poor circulation or issues with blood pressure.
This can occur during exercise or at rest and it is important to see your doctor immediately if you are feeling faint or dizzy, particularly if there is chest pain or difficulty with breathing at the same time.
Swelling in the Ankles, Feet and Lower Legs
Swelling or edema in the lower legs and feet may be a sign of poor circulation and the limited ability of the heart to pump at the required level. Often this symptom is accompanied by unusual levels of exhaustion and fatigue even when there is no increase in physical activity.
Immediate Attention
In order to be able to treat our patients, we are very happy to announce the addition of two cardiologists to our staff. Dr. Haws is board certified in internal medicine as well as cardiovascular disease. Dr. Brown is also board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease as well as interventional cardiology.
Dr. Haws and Dr. Brown will both see patients from the West Valley Clinic and Dr. Brown will also see patients at the Wasatch clinic. With these doctors on staff, our patients will be able to see a cardiologist at the own local Granger Medical Clinic, making specialist appointments easy for all of our patients.
