Which medical professional focuses on diagnosing and treating heart conditions?

A cardiologist is a medical professional specifically trained to diagnose and treat heart conditions. This specialization involves a deep understanding of various cardiovascular diseases, their causes, symptoms, and treatments. Cardiologists perform a variety of tasks including conducting tests such as EKGs, echocardiograms, and stress tests to evaluate heart health. They manage conditions like hypertension, arrhythmias, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Furthermore, cardiologists often provide preventive care and education about maintaining cardiovascular health.

The other options, while related to heart health, serve different roles: interventionists normally refer to cardiologists who perform catheter-based interventions but do not encompass the full range of diagnosis and treatment; medical oncologists specialize in cancer treatment and do not focus on heart disease; cardiac surgeons perform surgical procedures on the heart but do so after a diagnosis has been made, rather than diagnosing the conditions themselves.