While enormous pressure may be the norm for cardiac surgeons, the stakes are particularly high when the life of a former U.S. president is on the line. And when Bill Clinton underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2004, all eyes were on the heart specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

Five million Americans are affected by heart failure and approximately 400,000 new cases in the U.S. are diagnosed each year, according to the Heart Failure Society of America — that figure quadruples globally, and many do not know they have a heart failure condition until they are hospitalized.

New technologies adopted by cardiologists not only improve patient care but expand the role of these physicians. Whether it's stenting a carotid artery or viewing real-time ultrasound images at the bedside, today's cardiologist can solve more problems than just those of the heart.