"The joy of practicing Cardiology comes not simply from successful diagnosis and treatment of a problem, but also from the engagement of each patient in a personalized treatment plan and a commitment to a lifestyle which can prevent new illnesses and even regress damage already done. My job has barely begun when the patient's chest pain resolves and breathing comes easily; the real challenge is to keep each person working, loving and living a quality independent life, unfettered by repeated crises.
I fully believe in and perform aggressive, expeditious interventional therapy where indicated and when the results to be achieved justify the risks. However, there are excellent conservative and pharmacologic therapies currently available that have been grossly undervalued, particularly in the management of senior patients with substantial risk factors and multi-system diseases. I offer each patient the full range of treatment options appropriate to his/her condition."
--Douglas R. Salmon, MD, FACC