Heart health, explained plainly.
Articles from Gilead Heart & Vascular on symptoms, procedures, and everyday heart health, written to answer the questions patients actually ask.
Cardiologist vs. Primary Care Doctor: Who Should You See?
Not sure whether to see your primary care doctor or a cardiologist?
Read article · 4 min read October 22, 2026
Secondary Hypertension and Why You Should See a Cardiologist
When high blood pressure doesn't fit the usual pattern, there's often an identifiable cause underneath it. Here's what to watch for.
Read article · 2 min read October 21, 2026
When You Should See a Cardiologist for Hypertension
Most high blood pressure is fine with your primary care doctor. Here's the specific set of signs that mean it's time for a cardiologist instead.
Read article · 2 min read October 20, 2026
Stress and the Heart: What the Connection Really Looks Like
Chronic stress has measurable, physical effects on your heart, not just your mood. Here's what the connection actually looks like.
Read article · 2 min read October 19, 2026
Hormone Replacement Therapy and the Heart
Estrogen affects cholesterol, blood vessels, and clotting. Here's how hormone replacement therapy's cardiovascular effects actually depend on timing and individual risk.
Read article · 2 min read October 18, 2026
Weight Loss Medicines and the Heart
GLP-1s and other newer weight loss medications can meaningfully help your heart, but they're not plug-and-play. Here's what to coordinate first.
Read article · 2 min read October 17, 2026
What a Coronary Calcium Score Means
A single CT scan that gives a direct, visual measure of plaque already in your arteries. Here's how to read your score.
Read article · 2 min read October 16, 2026
Cholesterol and the Heart: What Your Numbers Really Mean
LDL, HDL, triglycerides: what your cholesterol panel numbers actually mean for your heart, and when they call for more than lifestyle changes.
Read article · 2 min read October 15, 2026
Diabetes and the Heart: Understanding the Connection
Diabetes and heart disease share risk factors and often go hand in hand. Here's how elevated blood sugar actually affects your cardiovascular system.
Read article · 2 min read October 14, 2026
Interventional Cardiology: What It Is and When You Need It
Angioplasty, stents, catheter-based procedures: what interventional cardiology actually treats and how it differs from open surgery.
Read article · 2 min read October 13, 2026
What to Expect at Your First Heart Specialist Appointment
What to bring, what happens, and what you'll walk away with: a practical guide to your first cardiology visit.
Read article · 2 min read October 12, 2026
AFib and Irregular Heartbeat: Signs, Causes, and When to Get Checked
Fluttering, racing, or a heart that feels like it skipped a beat: here's what AFib actually is, why it raises stroke risk, and how it's diagnosed.
Read article · 2 min read October 11, 2026
Vascular Disease: Common Types and Why Arizona Patients Should Pay Attention
PAD, aneurysm, DVT, varicose veins: a plain-language tour of the most common vascular conditions and why Arizona's climate and demographics make them worth watching.
Read article · 2 min read October 10, 2026
Peripheral Artery Disease: Leg Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore, and How It's Treated
Leg pain that comes with walking and eases with rest could be peripheral artery disease, not just “getting older.” Here's what to watch for.
Read article · 2 min read October 9, 2026
How High Blood Pressure Damages Your Heart Over Time
High blood pressure often causes no symptoms at all while quietly damaging your heart. Here's how, and what actually helps.
Read article · 2 min read October 8, 2026
Cardiovascular Risk Factors: What Raises Your Risk, and What a Risk Assessment Involves
High blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, family history: what actually goes into a cardiovascular risk assessment and what the results mean.
Read article · 2 min read October 7, 2026
Preventive Cardiology: How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease Before It Starts
Catching risk before it becomes disease: what a preventive cardiology visit actually involves and why starting early changes the math.
Read article · 2 min read October 6, 2026
Types of Cardiologists: A Patient's Guide to Who Treats What
General, interventional, electrophysiologist, heart failure, vascular: what each type of cardiologist is trained to treat, in plain language.
Read article · 2 min read October 5, 2026
Cardiology Specialties Explained: What Each Type of Heart Doctor Does
General, interventional, electrophysiology, preventive, vascular: a quick guide to what each cardiology specialty actually treats.
Read article · 2 min read October 4, 2026
How Cardiology Referrals Work in Arizona (and Signs You May Need One)
Referral or no referral, here's what actually determines whether you need one to see a cardiologist in Arizona, and what your first visit looks like either way.
Read article · 2 min read October 3, 2026
Cardiologist vs. Primary Care Doctor: Who Should You See?
Chest pain, palpitations, or risk factors that aren't improving: here's how to tell whether your primary care doctor can still handle it, or it's time for a cardiologist.
Read article · 2 min read October 2, 2026
Heart Diagnostic Imaging: A Guide to the Most Common Cardiac Tests
EKG, echocardiogram, stress test, calcium score: a plain-language map of the tests cardiologists actually use, and what each one is looking for.
Read article · 2 min read October 1, 2026
Echocardiogram: What This Heart Ultrasound Shows Your Doctor
A completely painless ultrasound of the heart that shows what an EKG can't: structure, valve function, and how well your heart is actually pumping.
Read article · 2 min read September 30, 2026
What Is a Cardiac Stress Test, and Why Would You Need One?
A walk on a treadmill can reveal heart problems that show up only under exertion — here's what a cardiac stress test involves and why your doctor might order one.
Read article · 3 min read August 29, 2026Recognizing the Early Signs of a Heart Attack
Heart attack symptoms aren't always dramatic. Here's what to watch for, and when to call 911 instead of your doctor.
Read article · 4 min read August 22, 2026Angioplasty vs. Stent: What's the Difference?
A plain-language guide to two of the most common procedures in interventional cardiology, and how they work together.
Read article · 3 min read August 15, 2026When Should You See a Cardiologist?
Know the warning signs and risk factors that mean it's time to see a cardiologist, and what to expect at your first visit.
Read article · 4 min read