Which Kind of Cardiologist Do You Need? Cardiology Subspecialties Explained

A useful real-world reference is the University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Division, which publishes its list of subspecialties: adult congenital cardiology, advanced heart failure, cardiology critical care, cardiac electrophysiology, general cardiology, cardiovascular imaging, interventional cardiology, pulmonary hypertension and preventive cardiology. Other programs may group or name clinics differently, so treat these terms as a guide when you talk with schedulers.

The subspecialties at a glance

General cardiology

General cardiology is the foundation of the field. A general cardiologist evaluates a wide range of heart and blood vessel concerns, follows patients over time, and can bring in a subspecialist when a question needs narrower expertise. If your referral simply says cardiology, this is likely where scheduling starts; the scheduler can confirm.

Interventional cardiology

Interventional cardiologists specialize in procedures done through thin tubes called catheters, which are guided into the heart or blood vessels. You may hear about this subspecialty if your doctor is considering a catheter-based test or procedure. Whether any procedure is right for you is a conversation for you and your physicians.

Cardiac electrophysiology

Electrophysiologists focus on the heart's electrical system, which sets the heart's rhythm. A referral to electrophysiology generally relates to a question about heart rhythm. People often search for the difference between an electrophysiologist and a cardiologist: an electrophysiologist is a cardiologist with a narrower focus on rhythm.

Advanced heart failure

Advanced heart failure specialists care for people whose heart failure is advanced or complex. If your physician refers you to a heart failure clinic, ask who will coordinate your care between the specialist and your other doctors.

Cardiovascular imaging

Imaging cardiologists focus on tests that create pictures of the heart and blood vessels, and on interpreting those tests. You might not book an imaging specialist directly. Ask the doctor who orders a test how and when you will get the results, and who will explain them.

Adult congenital cardiology

Adult congenital cardiology focuses on adults who were born with a heart condition, including people who were treated as children. If you grew up with a congenital heart condition and are moving from pediatric to adult care, ask your care team about an adult congenital clinic.

Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension refers to high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. The University of Minnesota lists it as its own cardiology subspecialty. If you are referred for it, ask your physician which specialists will be part of your care.

Preventive cardiology

Preventive cardiology focuses on lowering the risk of heart disease. If prevention is the main reason for your visit, ask the program whether it has a preventive cardiology clinic and whether your referral should name it.

Cardiology critical care

Cardiology critical care is heart care delivered in intensive care settings. Patients don't usually book these specialists; you would meet them during a hospital stay.

From referral to the right clinic

1. Read your referralNote the exact specialty named, the reason for referral if it is written down, and the referring doctor's contact information.
2. Check coverageAsk your insurer whether the program is in network and whether a referral or prior approval is needed.
3. Call the programAsk for the clinic that matches the specialty on your referral. If you're unsure, the scheduler or your referring doctor can clarify.
4. Check the doctorLook up the license with the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and certification with ABIM. Our verification guide shows how.
5. Prepare for the visitAsk what records to send ahead and write down your questions.

Checking a subspecialist's credentials

The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice lets you look up a physician's licensure, training and disciplinary information. Subspecialists are physicians, so the same lookup applies.

For board certification, ABIM's Verify Physician Status shows each current certification a physician holds, along with Maintenance of Certification status and initial certification years. If a doctor isn't found, ABIM notes they may be certified by another American Board of Medical Specialties board.

Questions to bring to a first subspecialty visit

• What is this clinic's focus, and why was I referred here?
• Will other specialists be involved in my care?
• Who coordinates with my primary care doctor?
• How will I get test results, and who explains them?
• Who do I call with questions between visits?

To see where these subspecialties are offered, read our overview of Minnesota's major heart centers.