In general, you should visit your PCP once every few months.
Make sure that he or she knows of any changes in your symptoms. For this reason, it is important that you are open with your doctor. He or she will also decide if you need to start taking medicines or if you need certain procedures to diagnose how severe your CAD is. In these cases, your PCP will be the one who evaluates your risk factors, does tests, and looks for signs of other diseases.Īfter you are diagnosed with CAD, your PCP will help you build a treatment plan. He or she may be responsible for the day-to-day medical management of your coronary artery disease. In some cases, your primary care physician (PCP)-usually an internist or family medicine physician-will coordinate your care. What is the role of a primary care physician in caring for people who have coronary artery disease? Your health professionals will help tailor your treatment to best suit your needs. Each person's experience with CAD and with its complications is different. Make sure to report any changes in the way you feel or any medicine-related side effects. If you need the help of other health professionals, you should keep in close contact with your primary care doctor. You may encounter them at some point during the course of your treatment.
Initially, and whenever diet needs to be changedĪlthough you may not need help from all of these providers, it is good to be aware of them. He or she can help you with heart-healthy diet. Regularly (perhaps weekly), for as long as you need They help you cope with psychological aspects of disease. Psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker Your team will help you recover from an event or procedure and make healthy lifestyle changes. Whenever medicines, diet, or self-management needs to be explainedĭoctor, nurse specialist, dietitian, exercise therapist, and physical therapist This nurse can educate you and help you take control. When complications arise or when special procedures need to be done They provide specialty medical care for complications of CAD.
Nephrologist (kidney specialist), cardiovascular surgeon (heart surgeon), neurologist (brain/nerve specialist) Sometimes for regular visits or when CAD gets worse This doctor provides specialty medical care. This table outlines the types of health professionals who may be involved in the treatment of CAD and its complications. Understanding your health professionals' rolesĭepending on how severe your CAD is and whether you already have complications, you may need a team of health professionals to help treat your disease and manage your treatment plan. If you have complications or need special procedures (such as cardiac catheterization or open-heart surgery), you may need treatment from a range of specialists. Your doctor can help track your condition and make sure that your treatment is going as planned. Topic Overview What health professionals are involved in taking care of people who have coronary artery disease?Īfter a diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), you should visit your primary care physician every few months.