Written by:
Courtney Battaglia
August 15, 2025
Heart and Vascular Care: Who Treats What?
Knowing who to see for a heart or vascular condition isn’t always straightforward. Today’s healthcare system has a wide range of providers, most of whom focus on specific areas of care. According to a national study published in 2023, about 63% of physicians work in medical or surgical specialties, while only about 37% practice in primary care. With so many specialists, it can be hard to know where to start.
Types of Clinicians You Might See
If you have a heart or vascular condition, your care team may include more than one of these specialists, depending on your symptoms or diagnosis. Many heart and vascular teams also include nurse practitioners (NPs) or physician assistants (PAs) who support day-to-day care, answer questions, and help coordinate follow-up.
Primary Care Provider (PCP)
Your PCP is usually the first person you see for any new health concern. PCPs check symptoms, help manage risk factors like high blood pressure or cholesterol, and coordinate care. They may refer you to a cardiologist or other specialist if your condition is complex or if you need tests or treatments they don’t provide.
Cardiologist
A cardiologist treats problems with the heart and major blood vessels, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, irregular heart rhythms, valve disorders, and recovery after a heart attack. They manage more complex cases, order and interpret specialized tests, and adjust treatment plans when symptoms are hard to control. Cardiologists often collaborate with PCPs and other specialists to plan for long-term or more advanced heart care.
Vascular Medicine Specialist or Vascular Surgeon
Vascular medicine specialists focus on treating blood vessel problems outside the heart and brain. Many are cardiologists or internists with extra training in vascular medicine. They work to find the cause of a condition, manage risk factors, and provide nonsurgical treatment. While they don’t perform surgery themselves, they may help coordinate it if needed.
People with conditions like peripheral artery disease (PAD) or blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) may see a vascular medicine specialist for diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care.
Electrophysiologist
Cardiologists who specialize in heart rhythm problems, or arrhythmias, are called electrophysiologists (EPs). Arrhythmias include a heartbeat that’s too fast, too slow, or irregular, like atrial fibrillation. EPs may use medications, procedures like catheter ablation, or implantable devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators to help manage your heartbeat and keep it steady. You may see an EP if you have fainting, dizziness, or heart palpitations that are hard to explain or manage. EPs often work with other heart doctors for more complex cases.
Interventional Cardiologist
An interventional cardiologist treats blocked arteries, valve problems, and sometimes PAD using minimally invasive procedures. They use a thin tube (catheter) inserted through a blood vessel in the wrist or groin to treat narrowed arteries, so open-heart surgery isn’t needed. You might see this type of specialist for a heart attack, chest pain, valve problems, or PAD that isn’t improving with medicine.
Common procedures include inserting stents and transcatheter valve replacement—a way to replace a heart valve using a catheter instead of open surgery. Unlike vascular surgeons, who can do both open and minimally invasive surgery, interventional cardiologists focus on catheter-based treatments, mainly for the heart.
Heart Failure Specialist
A heart failure specialist is a cardiologist with extra training in treating complex or advanced heart failure.
They help find the cause, adjust medications to help your heart pump more effectively, and decide if you need more advanced care, like a heart pump or a transplant. People often see a heart failure specialist if symptoms worsen despite treatment, if hospital visits occur more often, or if tests or treatments are needed beyond what a general cardiologist provides.
Pulmonologist
A pulmonologist specializes in treating lung and breathing problems. They also help manage conditions that affect the blood vessels in the lungs, like pulmonary hypertension or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)—a type of high blood pressure in the lungs caused by blood clots that don’t fully dissolve. These conditions can make it harder to breathe and put strain on your heart. Pulmonologists often work together with cardiologists to help manage these problems.
Curious who treats blood clots?
In addition to the specialists mentioned above, hematologists and interventional radiologists are often involved in blood clot care.
Want to learn more?
View our full guide to the different specialists who may be part of your care team.
How to Choose the Right Specialist for You
Start with your PCP. They know your medical history and can help refer you to specialists based on your symptoms or diagnosis.
Check your insurance coverage. Use your health plan’s directory or website to find in-network specialists. This can help you avoid surprise bills.
Check credentials. Make sure the clinician is board certified in their specialty. Certification shows they’ve met national standards.
Ask about experience. If you’ve been told you may need a procedure or have a complex diagnosis, it’s okay to ask the specialist how often they’ve treated cases like yours.
Consider communication style. Choose someone who listens, explains things clearly, and answers your questions. Check the provider's bio, online reviews, or call the office—friendly staff can be a good sign for a positive environment. Recommendations from friends or support groups can also help.
Consider access. Check how soon you can get an appointment, how far you’ll need to travel, and if the clinician offers offer virtual visits.
Get a second opinion if needed. Not sure about a diagnosis or treatment plan? Getting a second opinion is a smart step, especially for major health decisions.
Did You Know?
Some larger medical centers in the U.S. offer heart and vascular programs where specialists like cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and electrophysiologists work together as a team. These programs can be especially helpful if your condition is complex or involves both the heart and blood vessels.
Not sure where to look (in the U.S.)?
• Ask your primary care provider for a referral
• Use Medicare’s Care Compare tool to search for hospitals and specialty programs
• Search the Society for Vascular Medicine’s directory to find vascular medicine specialists near you
If you live outside the U.S., check with your local healthcare system or national health service to learn more about available specialist programs.
Real Talk in the Barbershop: A New Video Series on Men’s Health
When real conversations about men’s health happen where trust already lives
Barbershop Talks is our new video series that brings honest, peer-to peer conversations about health straight to the barber chair. Research has shown that bringing health discussions into trusted community spaces, like barbershops, can help improve health outcomes.
Led by LaVon Woodard—a master barber, business owner, and patient advisor on our Medical Advisory Board who lives with vascular disease—each episode features real conversations about cardiovascular disease and what really stands in the way of staying healthy.
LaVon and his clients cover everything from high blood pressure and cholesterol to blood clots, diabetes, and nutrition. They also discuss how to navigate a healthcare system that doesn’t always feel trustworthy, and the steps men can take to protect their health. For many men, especially those in underserved communities, the barbershop has always been more than just a place for a haircut. It’s a respected space to talk, share, and support each other.
Barbershop Talks builds on that tradition to:
Raise awareness with clear, culturally relevant education on vascular health and prevention.
Raise awareness with clear, culturally relevant education on vascular health and prevention.Build trust through open, judgment-free conversations and peer connection.Encourage action by helping men take charge of their health through screenings, lifestyle changes, and better communication with their medical team.Foster community to remind men they’re not alone in this journey. LaVon’s chair is opening soon—and so is the conversation.
Join us, listen in, and share. Together, we can help more men feel informed, supported, and ready to take the next step toward better health. Stay tuned for our first episode launching August 20th, exclusively from VLN.
In Case You Missed It: Could Artificial Sweeteners Raise Clot Risk?
There’s been a lot of buzz about artificial sweeteners and blood clots lately—and VLN has been right in the middle of it. We dug into one sweetener that shows up in many keto-friendly and sugar-free foods. Some research suggests that high levels of this sweetener in the blood could raise clot risk, especially for people with other cardiovascular or clotting risk factors.
But are all sweeteners the same? Are there any safe options out there?
Not all sugar substitutes work the same way in the body, and the science isn’t settled yet. If you missed this article, now’s a great time to catch up. Find out what the evidence says, what experts recommend, and how to make safer choices for your health.
Read the full article on our website.
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