Dr. Michael Dillon, MD

Dr. Michael Dillon, MD is a Cardiology specialist at The Cardiac & Vascular Institute – Gainesville/8th Avenue in Gainesville, FL, dedicated to empowering patients with proactive, comprehensive Cardiovascular care. Registered with the Florida Board of Medicine and practicing under Florida Statutes, Title XXXII, Chapter 458 (Medical Practice), Dr. Dillon understands the importance of preventative measures in maintaining optimal cardiovascular health. He is committed to collaborating with patients to design long-term health plans, coordinate essential screenings, and effectively manage cardiovascular risk factors. This comprehensive approach ensures a lifetime of wellness and proactive health management.

Your cardiologist is your primary partner in preventing heart disease and stroke, collaborating with you to create a long-term health plan, coordinate essential screenings, and manage cardiovascular risk factors for a lifetime of wellness. Dr. Dillon serves all ages, focusing on proactive health and risk reduction, and is currently welcoming new patients to begin their proactive health journey. Call (352) 375-1212 to schedule. Dr. Michael Dillon, a Cardiologist at The Cardiac & Vascular Institute, brings over 45 years of dedicated experience in Cardiovascular care. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kentucky in 1975 and completed his internship, residency, and cardiology fellowship at Duke University Medical Center. His board certifications include Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine, along with Echocardiography and Nuclear Medicine certifications. He is a member of the American Medical Association and a leading expert on cardiovascular care in athletes at TCAVI. Dr. Dillon provides consultations primarily in English.

A key part of the WePrevent mission is building your personalized prevention roadmap. Dr. Michael Dillon is a vital partner in this journey, focusing on proactive strategies to protect and enhance your long-term health.

By working together, you and Dr. Michael Dillon can create a clear, actionable plan to address your unique risk factors and health goals.

A proactive approach to health involves understanding and managing potential risks. Dr. Michael Dillon provides expert care for a range of conditions, focusing on early detection and effective management to support your long-term wellness. Common areas of focus include:

• Pericardial Disease: Preventive care, including managing underlying conditions, helps reduce your chances of developing pericardial disease and its associated complications, like heart failure.
• Ventricular Fibrillation: Managing underlying heart conditions and adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can significantly lower your chances of experiencing ventricular fibrillation.
• Rheumatic Aortic Valve Disorders: Managing rheumatic aortic valve disease involves proactive steps to prevent further damage to your heart's aortic valve and avoid serious complications like heart failure, emphasizing the importance of regular checkups.
• Hypertensive Heart Disease: Hypertensive heart disease is a serious condition resulting from uncontrolled high blood pressure; proactive blood pressure management is your best defense.
• Venous Hypertension: Preventing venous hypertension involves lifestyle changes and early detection to avoid serious problems like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and prevent long-term health issues.
• Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Managing underlying conditions like hypertension before and during pregnancy significantly decreases the risk of developing peripartum cardiomyopathy, emphasizing the importance of preventative care.
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA): An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta, your body's largest artery, that can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding, making regular screenings crucial for early detection and prevention.
• Mitral Valve Disease: Mitral valve disease, if detected early and managed properly, can prevent serious heart complications like heart failure and irregular heartbeats.
• Acute Coronary Syndrome: Preventing heart attacks and strokes involves understanding Acute Coronary Syndrome; early detection and treatment are crucial for minimizing long-term damage and improving your heart health.
• Atrial Septal Defect: Early detection of an atrial septal defect (ASD), a birth defect affecting the heart, is crucial for preventing potential long-term complications like stroke and high blood pressure.
• Aortic Aneurysm: Regular monitoring of an aortic aneurysm's size through imaging helps doctors determine the best course of action to prevent its enlargement and reduce the risk of rupture.
• Aortic Valve Disease: Aortic valve disease is a condition affecting the heart's aortic valve, and early detection through regular checkups can help prevent serious complications like heart failure.

This list highlights some common health concerns and is for informational purposes only. The best way to understand your personal health and create a prevention plan is to schedule a consultation. Accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans are developed based on individual patient evaluations.

Taking proactive steps is central to long-term health. Dr. Michael Dillon offers a range of key preventive screenings and services designed to provide crucial insights into your health and support your well-being:

• HeartAware Online Risk Screening: Proactively assess your cardiovascular risk with our HeartAware online screening tool – a simple step towards preventing future heart problems.
• Structural Heart Disease Evaluations and Treatment: Take a proactive step towards a healthier heart by undergoing a structural heart disease evaluation to detect potential problems early and prevent serious complications.
• Cardiac MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of Heart or Chest: Take a proactive step towards heart health with a cardiac MRI – it's a non-invasive test that can identify potential heart issues before they become major problems, helping prevent strokes and heart attacks.
• Cardiac Catheterization (incl. Coronary Angiography): A cardiac catheterization helps doctors check your heart's arteries for blockages that could lead to a heart attack or stroke, allowing for early intervention and prevention.
• Cardiac Imaging: To proactively safeguard your heart health, cardiac imaging provides a visual assessment of your heart's structure and function, enabling early detection of issues such as blockages or weakened areas, leading to timely intervention.
• Cardiac Myocardial Perfusion Imaging: To proactively safeguard your heart health, a myocardial perfusion imaging test provides detailed pictures of your heart's blood flow, aiding in the early diagnosis of blockages that could lead to serious cardiovascular events.
• Cardiac Catheterization with Robotic Assist: This procedure combines the precision of robotics with cardiac catheterization to provide detailed images of your heart, allowing for early detection of conditions like coronary artery disease and facilitating timely treatment.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a simple test that checks your heart's rhythm and electrical activity, helping detect potential problems early and prevent serious heart issues like heart attacks or strokes.
• Cardiovascular Diagnostic Test: Protecting your future starts with a cardiovascular diagnostic test, a simple procedure that can detect early signs of heart disease or stroke, enabling proactive treatment.
• Ablation for Cardiac Arrhythmias: Cardiac ablation is a procedure that can help prevent dangerous heart rhythms by correcting abnormal electrical signals in your heart.
• Pharmacologic Nuclear Stress Test: As a proactive step in managing your cardiovascular health, a pharmacologic nuclear stress test provides detailed images of your heart to detect reduced blood flow that could signal heart disease.
• Tilt_Testing: Taking a proactive step toward better heart health, a tilt table test can help rule out heart rhythm issues that cause fainting or dizziness.

Service availability can change, and not all services listed may be appropriate for every patient. For a comprehensive understanding of all available services and to create your personalized screening plan, please schedule a consultation.

All medical services are provided in accordance with the standard scope of practice for Cardiology in Florida.

Dr. Michael Dillon is dedicated to partnering with Caregivers to achieve their unique health objectives. The following examples illustrate how a proactive approach can make a tangible difference in a Patient's life:

• By understanding their risk factors and following a proactive heart health plan, a patient gained confidence in managing their pericardial health, reducing the likelihood of future complications. This proactive approach allowed them to confidently anticipate and address any potential issues.
• By addressing underlying heart issues and adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, a patient significantly reduced their risk of ventricular fibrillation, gaining confidence in their long-term heart health.

These scenarios are illustrative examples of positive health outcomes. Individual results may vary and depend on many factors specific to each patient. He will work with you to define and achieve your personal health goals.

Here are answers to some common questions about proactive Cardiovascular care with Dr. Michael Dillon:

What is a Cardiologist, and when should I see one?

A cardiologist is a medical expert specializing in the heart and blood vessels. You should see a cardiologist if you experience symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath, have a family history of heart disease, or have risk factors such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol that require specialized management.

What can I expect during my first visit with Dr. Michael Dillon?

Your first visit with Dr. Dillon will be a comprehensive cardiovascular assessment. We will review your medical and family history, conduct a physical exam, perform an EKG, and discuss lifestyle and risk factors. This is the first step in creating a personalized heart health plan for you.

What are the most important things I can do to prevent a heart attack?

Taking control of your cardiovascular health involves managing blood pressure and cholesterol, quitting smoking, engaging in regular physical activity, and adopting a heart-healthy diet. These proactive steps empower you to significantly reduce your risk of a heart attack. By making these lifestyle choices, you're actively shaping your own heart health destiny.

What is an echocardiogram?

An echocardiogram, or "echo," is a safe and painless ultrasound of the heart. It uses sound waves to create moving pictures of the heart, allowing Dr. Michael Dillon to assess the strength of the heart muscle, check the function of the heart valves, and detect structural problems.

What is a stent, and how is it placed?

A stent is a tiny, wire-mesh tube that acts as a scaffold to prop open a blocked artery. It's placed during a minimally invasive procedure called angioplasty, where a catheter is guided through a blood vessel in the wrist or groin to the heart.

What is a calcium score screening?

A calcium score screening is a special CT scan of the heart that measures the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. It's a powerful preventive tool to help Dr. Dillon better understand your future risk of a heart attack and guide the intensity of your prevention strategy.

What is a heart murmur?

A heart murmur is an extra sound heard when listening to the heart. Many murmurs are innocent and harmless, but Dr. Dillon is an expert at determining the cause, often using an echocardiogram to see if the murmur is related to a heart valve problem that needs monitoring or treatment.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure means the heart isn't pumping blood as efficiently as it should, not that it has stopped working. It's a chronic condition, but manageable. Dr. Dillon uses medications and lifestyle changes to improve heart function and reduce symptoms like shortness of breath and swelling.

The Cardiac & Vascular Institute - Gainesville/8th Avenue
4645 NW 8th Ave
Gainesville FL 32605
Phone: (352) 375-1212

Dr. Michael Dillon, MD is regulated by the Florida Statutes, Title XXXII, Chapter 458 (Medical Practice) in Florida and is licensed by The Florida Board of Medicine.

National Provider Identifier (NPI): 1285600148

Registration can typically be verified through The Florida Board of Medicine website or by direct inquiry.

The information on this profile, provided by weprevent.org, is for general informational purposes and to help you connect with preventive health partners. It does not constitute direct medical advice from the physician named. Cardiology like Dr. Michael Dillon are skilled in helping patients create proactive health plans. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your cardiology about all aspects of your health and your personalized prevention plan.