Cultivating an experience that makes patients feel they are receiving truly specialized care is always a priority. Dealing with a cardiovascular condition and its symptoms can be overwhelming, so we aim to ensure every patient feels heard when they come to us with their ailments. Read on to learn more about the specific types of cardiovascular conditions our Orlando heart doctor, Dr. Sharma, specializes in treating.

Peripheral Vascular Disease: What is it?

Referred to as PVD for short, peripheral vascular disease is a progressive circulation disorder. 


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What are the common causes?

PVD can develop due to a number of reasons, the foremost being atherosclerosis which is buildup of cholesterol on artery walls. Other common causes include:

  • Injury to the affected peripheral limb
  • Uncontrolled diabetes
  • Uncontrolled elevated cholesterol
  • Chronic kidney disease

Symptoms to look out for:

First off, it’s important to note that nearly half of all patients diagnosed with PVD are asymptomatic. In patients where symptoms do present, it tends to be as cramps that occur during exercise and resolve with rest.

Not preventable:

  • Old age (50+)
  • Family or individual medical history
  • Being menopausal or postmenopausal
  • Being male

Preventable:

  • Having other problematic conditions like coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol/blood pressure
  • Being overweight
  • Tobacco use

Treatment options:

  • Peripheral vascular intervention.  

Learn more about this procedure on our Intervention page.

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Venous Insufficiency: What is it?

Venous insufficiency is a sometimes disabling condition that occurs when the leg veins become incapable of letting blood flow back up to the heart and instead, the blood flows backward eventually pooling in the legs.


What are the common causes?

Potential causes of venous insufficiency include:

  • Being overweight
  • Pregnancy
  • Injury
  • History of blood clots

Symptoms to look out for in the legs and/or ankles:

  • General discomfort
  • A tight feeling
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Itching
  • Throbbing
  • Cramps
  • Changes in skin color
  • Ulcers
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Varicose veins (inflamed veins that are twisted and enlarged) 
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Risk Factors:

Preventable:

  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Tobacco use

Not preventable:

  • Family or individual medical history
  • Damage to the leg from injury or surgery

Treatment options:

  • Compression stockings
  • Venous intervention
  • Venous ablation 

Learn more about these procedures by visiting our Intervention page.

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Coronary Artery Disease: What is it?

Also known as coronary heart disease, coronary artery disease is a very common heart condition that occurs when the coronary arteries (chief blood vessels to supply the heart) struggle to send sufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart muscles.  

What are the common causes?

  • Diabetes or insulin resistance
  • High blood pressure, cholesterol, or stress
  • Making consistently unhealthy lifestyle choices like using tobacco, not exercising, or eating a malnutritious diet

Symptoms to look out for:

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Heart attack

Treatment options:

  • Healthy lifestyle coaching 
  • Coronary intervention
  • Stent implantation  

Learn more about the coronary intervention and stent implantation procedures by visiting our Intervention page. To learn more about Heartwell Cardiology’s approach to coaching patients on making healthy lifestyle choices, book an initial consultation online.

Risk Factors: 

Not preventable:

  • Old age
  • Being male
  • Family or individual medical history

Preventable:

  • Being overweight
  • Tobacco use
  • Having other problematic conditions like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol/blood pressure, or chronic kidney disease
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • High stress
  • Not sleeping enough

Arrhythmia: What is it?

Not to be confused with heart palpitations, an arrhythmia is an irregular – too fast, too slow, or premature – heartbeat.  

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What are the common causes?

  • When the heart beats too slowly or quickly, the cause is usually faulty signaling. The rate at which the heart beats is regulated by electrical signals and when these are coordinating improperly, either a tachycardiac or bradycardiac event can occur.  Tachycardia is when the heart rate is greater than 100 beats per minute, and bradycardia is when it falls under 60 beats per minute.  
  • A patient may also experience arrhythmia that’s due to premature heartbeats. This type of arrhythmia tends to occur as a result of factors like stress, exertion, or stimulants like caffeine or nicotine.  
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Risk Factors: 

Not preventable:

  • Being born with congenital heart disease
  • Intractable conditions like thyroid disease or obstructive sleep apnea

Preventable:

  • Having other problematic conditions like coronary artery disease or high blood pressure
  • Electrolyte imbalance
  • Drinking too much alcohol
  • Tobacco use
  • Drug use

Symptoms to look out for:

  • A feeling of fluttering in the chest
  • A racing or slow heartbeat
  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Lightheadedness
  • Dizziness
  • Sweating
  • Fainting

Treatment options:

  • Medications
  • Therapies
  • Catheter procedures
  • Implanted devices
  • Surgery

Learn more about diagnosing arrhythmia in Orlando and Winter Park, FL by visiting our Diagnostics page. 

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A New Class of Specialty Care

At Heartwell Cardiology, we specialize in the treatment of many types of cardiovascular conditions and every case is managed in such a way that ensures patients feel no apprehension at any point in time. When patients come to us at our location in Winter Park, FL, Dr. Sharma delivers specialized care that falls under an advanced and sophisticated class of expertise in cardiovascular healthcare. He applies his expert knowledge towards helping ease every patient’s experience throughout the before, during, and after of treating a heart condition. Residents in the Orlando area frequently turn to us when in search of the tailored style of specialty care that sets Heartwell Cardiology apart from the huge health systems that have forgotten patients are people and people deserve prioritizing. Set foot on the road to recovery from troublesome heart conditions and symptoms. Schedule your initial consultation now.

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