You could say that cardiology is in the blood of Dr. Joseph F.X. McGarvey Jr., whose father, Dr. Joseph F.X. McGarvey Sr., began practicing cardiology at Doylestown Hospital more than 30 years ago.

"I knew from going to work with my dad that I wanted to be a physician, and a cardiologist in particular," says the younger Dr. McGarvey. As a teenager, he volunteered at Doylestown Hospital and worked for a time as a nurse's aide. Dr. McGarvey received his early medical training at Georgetown Medical School and the University of Massachusetts. He completed his advanced cardiology training at the highly regarded Cleveland Clinic, where he studied under the renowned cardiologist Dr. Eric Topol.

Dr. McGarvey took a slightly different tack from his father by focusing on interventional cardiology, a subspecialty that involves treating cardiovascular disease with either angioplasty or catheter-based therapy, using balloons and stents to open blocked arteries.

How does interventional cardiology save lives?

"The technology that we use - angioplasty and stenting - cannot only make people feel better, it can save lives by treating heart attacks. It can also open blocked arteries so many people don't need bypass surgery. We currently have new, drug-coated stents that prevent blockages within the stent."

Are there other uses of this technique?

"Yes. We can also treat blocked arteries in the leg, kidneys and shoulder. For example, we can treat leg artery blockage with angioplasty, and stents alleviate leg pain. Soon, stenting will be available for people with blocked arteries to the brain."

What is the biggest challenge when a patient is rushed to you?

"When a patient comes in with a life-threatening heart attack, we have to work quickly and efficiently to get an artery open to save the patient's life. All heart attack patients at Doylestown Hospital are treated with angioplasty to open blocked arteries. Most emergency patients have their blockages opened within 60 minutes of arriving at the hospital.

"At the same time, we have to communicate effectively with the patient and the family. I try to treat the patient as I would treat a family member.