Joel R. Garcia MD

Cardiologist | Cardiovascular Disease

7236 Stonerock Cir Orlando FL, 32819 Show map

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About

Joel R. Garcia, MD, FACC, is an established cardiologist at Orlando Heart Center in Orlando, Florida, which he joined in 2006. He received his medical degree in 1999 at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and then trained at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Garcia is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Education and Training

American University of The Caribbean / School of Medicine MD 1999

American University Of The Caribbean School Of Medicine

Board Certification

Internal MedicineAmerican Board of Internal MedicineABIM- Cardiovascular Disease

Provider Details

Male Spanish

Joel R. Garcia MD

Joel R. Garcia MD's Expert Contributions

My Answers

Is it normal to feel exhausted after a heart attack?
It can be part of the normal convalescent stage. It usually is multifactorial in that a heart attack can cause heart muscle damage and depending on the amount of muscle damage can bring about fatigue and feelings of feeling exhausted. Make sure you understand and know the number called “ejection fraction” % of your heart. This is a number that quantifies the amount of blood ejected from your heart after each contraction. The normal ejection fraction percent is 55- 70% signifying that 55-70% of blood that is in your main chamber of the heart is pumped throughout the body after each contráction. If this is damaged through a heart attack that could be a cause of feeling exhausted. Additionally, many people have new medications that are prescribed for heart projection that are aimed at lowering the blood pressure and blocking certain type of hormones (norepinephrine, epinephrine, etc) that can cause damage to the injured heart muscle. These medications will helpful and needed after a heart attack can temporarily make one feel tired and Exhausted. Eventually this subsides and a patient will get used to the medications. One last issue that is often not addressed is the entirely normal feeling of depression, anxiety, and stress that arises after a heart attack. One is suddenly a “heart patient”’and this can be a cause of depression. There are brain chemistry changes that occur after a heart attack and feeling “blue” or having sleep disturbances can occur contributing to one feeling tired or exhausted. The good thing is that with good medical care and compliance with medication and self in involvement with disciplined good nutrition and daily exercise 5 days a week (45 minutes) one can lead a normal life span and make a full recovery. Open and close discussions with ones primary care provider and cardiologist are paramount to maximize one’s clinical function and to be able to make changes to therapy should there be untoward side effects, etc. I hope this answer was helpful. Joel R. Garcia, M.D, F.AC.C. READ MORE
Can I have mitral valve prolapse when doctor can not hear heart murmur?
Yes you can have mitral valve prolapse without a definitive murmur. It would likely be mild in nature. Joel R. Garcia, M.D., F.A.C.C. Orlando Health Heart Institute Cardiology Group Chairman, Department of Cardiology Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Assistant Professor of Medicine UCF College of Medicine READ MORE