Cardiology is the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. A cardiologist is a physician who specializes in treating heart conditions such as abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, and disease of the heart valves. A cardiologist can inform your doctor about new drugs or tests that may be beneficial to you.

Some heart conditions can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle, and can be fatal. Methods that cardiologists use to study heart conditions include stress tests, a monitor to record your heart rate and rhythm, a biopsy, which studies a tiny piece of heart tissue, and an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to show a picture of how your heart works.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Blood Clot, Peripheral Vascular Disease, angioplasty, Hypertension, Heart Attack, Congestive heart failure, Angina, Atherosclerosis, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary heart disease, Pericarditis, Ventricular Tachycardia, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Cardiac Arrest, Bigeminy, Heart block, Myxoma, Cardiac Arrhythmias, Tricuspid valve disorders, and Aortic valve disorders.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Gastric Bypass Surgery, Open Heart Surgery, Valve Replacement, Valve Repair, Bypass Surgery, Carotid Artery Surgery, Catheter Ablation, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiac Bypass Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, Laser Angioplasty, Valvuloplasty, Balloon Angioplasty, Atherectomy, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft, Coronary Angioplasty, Heart Transplantation, and Carotid Surgery.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Cardiac Stress Test, Holter Monitor, Echocardiogram, Blood Test, Sphygmomanometer, Cardiac Enzymes, IVUS, Electrophysiologic study, and Coronary Catheterization.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Arkansas has 195 practicing cardiologists. Broken out by city, cardiology doctor density in Arkadelphia is 1, in Bella Vista is 1, in Benton is 2, in Bentonville is 7, in Conway is 4, in Crossett is 1, in El Dorado is 5, in Fayetteville is 10, in Fort Smith is 22, in Harrison is 2, in Heber Springs is 4, in Hot Springs is 10, in Hot Springs National Park is 4, in Hot Springs Village is 1, in Jonesboro is 15, in Lake Village is 1, in Little Rock is 96, in Lonsdale is 1, in Marion is 1, in Mena is 2, in Morrilton is 1, in Mountain Home is 4, in North Little Rock is 14, in Pangburn is 1, in Paragould is 3, in Pine Bluff is 4, in Rogers is 7, in Russellville is 16, in Searcy is 4, in Springdale is 7, in Van Buren is 2, and in West Memphis is 1.

Arkansas is home to many lakes and rivers for those interested in fishing and water sports. Cruise up the Arkansas River, fish in the White River of the Ozark Mountains, or drive the Great River Road along the Mississippi River Delta. Tour Arkansas wine country in the Altus area, step inside a log cabin from the 1800s in southern Arkansas, or hike nature trails in Hot Springs National Park. Arkansas’ population is 2,779,154. Little Rock is Arkansas’ capital city, and has numerous restaurants, museums, golfing, and an extensive park system. Visit the monument that marks the initial point for surveys of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Arkansas has a population of 2,779,154. Of this population, 662,920 are under the age of 18 and 381,547 are at or above the age of 65.