Heart Care

Overview

In heart care, doctors evaluate and treat people who have heart disease, often called cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease refers to heart and blood vessel conditions, including coronary artery disease and heart valve disease, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), heart conditions present at birth (congenital heart disease), congestive heart failure and other heart conditions. Heart disease can cause heart attacks, strokes and other complications. Your heart disease often can be treated if you're evaluated early. You may prevent or improve your heart disease if you exercise, eat a healthy diet, quit smoking, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and maintain a healthy weight. Read more about heart care.

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Team approach. At Mayo Clinic, an integrated team of doctors trained in heart disease (cardiologists), in heart and lung surgery (cardiac and thoracic surgeons) and in other specialties evaluates you and treats your condition. Mayo Clinic doctors work with doctors from many other areas to provide the most appropriate heart care. Pediatric cardiologists at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota work with adult cardiologists to care for people of all ages.
• Experience. Mayo Clinic doctors and surgeons have experience diagnosing and treating people who have cardiovascular diseases. Doctors and surgeons care for more than 75,000 people who have cardiovascular disease each year. More than 230 cardiologists and cardiac and thoracic surgeons provide your heart care.
• Surgical expertise. Mayo Clinic surgeons perform thousands of heart, lung and chest procedures (cardiac and thoracic surgeries) each year using state-of-the-art technology. Surgeons perform minimally invasive heart surgery, ventricular assist device implantation and many other complex procedures, including surgical treatment for congenital heart diseases.
• Efficient system. In Mayo Clinic's system, your cardiologist and treatment team will examine you, diagnose your condition and develop your treatment plan, often within a few days.
• Research. At Mayo Clinic, you may have access to ongoing clinical trials, research and new treatments.
• Support. You and your family may have the opportunity to participate in heart disease support groups.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic also ranks among the Best Children's Hospitals for heart and heart surgery.

Learn more about heart disease.

Related book: Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart for Life! book provides an easy-to-follow plan to prevent and conquer heart disease.