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Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD

Accepting New Patients

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Specializes in: Nuclear Cardiology and Adult Cardiology

University of Massachusetts Medical School (2006)

Professional interests include: non-invasive cardiology, echocardiogram (echo), atherosclerosis, and more.

55 LAKE AVENUE NORTH
Worcester, MA 01655

(508) 334-8515

Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD is a nuclear medicine specialist in Worcester, MA specializing in nuclear cardiology and adult cardiology. She graduated from University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2006 and has 19 years of experience. Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD is affiliated with UMass Memorial Medical Center, UMass Memorial Health and UMASS MEMORIAL MEDICAL GROUP INC.

Office Locations

Address:

55 LAKE AVENUE NORTH
Worcester, MA 01655

Address:

604 MAIN STREET
Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Some issues Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD can help you with:

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It happens when the blood vessels carrying blood to the heart, called coronary arteries, narrow and harden. This occurs when cholesterol, a type of fat found in the blood, builds up to form plaque, which sticks to the inner walls of the arteries. As plaque accumulates, less blood can flow through the arteries, which may lead to the following:

Angina, which is chest pain that occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood flow.
Heart attack, which happens if the arteries leading to the heart are completely blocked.
Arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, which can develop if the heart does not have enough blood supply.
Heart failure, which may occur if a heart attack damages the heart and it becomes too weak to pump enough blood to the rest of the body.

Certain factors may increase risk for the disease, like smoking, lack of exercise, being overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. CAD tends to develop over decades, so it can go undetected until it has become quite severe. A diagnosis may be established using such tests as:

Electrocardiogram (ECG), which records the heart's electrical activity over a period of time. ECGs can detect whether there is enough blood flow to the heart or if a heart attack has occurred.
Echocardiogram (echo), which creates images of the heart using sound waves. Echos can show whether the heart is able to pump blood normally.
Stress tests, where an ECG or echo is combined with exercise, like riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill. This test is done to find out if the heart can function properly while performing a strenuous activity.

Treatments for the disease include medications such as vasodilators, like nitroglycerin, which dilates (widens) the coronary arteries. CAD may also be treated by a procedure called angioplasty with stent placement, where a balloon is inflated inside a diseased artery to flatten the plaque deposits against the artery walls, creating more room for blood to flow.

In some severe cases of the disease, multiple arteries may be blocked, and an open heart surgery called coronary artery bypass surgery may be necessary. This operation transplants a vessel from another part of the body to form a graft that goes past the narrowed arteries, thus enabling blood to flow around those arteries.

Heart Problems

The heart is one of the most important organs in the body. This smooth muscle expands and contracts rhythmically an entire lifetime, pumping blood to the lungs and then to every other cell in the body. When heart problems occur, it becomes difficult for the body to get the nutrients and oxygen it needs via the blood. So while there are a variety of illnesses and disorders that affect the heart, most of them cause weakness, exhaustion and shortness of breath. The most common heart conditions include heart disease, angina, arrhythmia, and valve disorders.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. This includes coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and congenital heart disease. Some conditions, such as genetics, cannot be controlled. But there are many other things one can do to lower their risk for heart disease. Controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing or stopping smoking, exercising more and losing weight if needed, and eating a diet low in sodium can all protect the heart.

Angina is a squeezing type of chest pain that happens when the muscles around the heart don't get enough oxygen. It can be regular or infrequent. Usually, angina is caused by coronary heart disease. However, not all chest pain is angina. Chest pain can also be caused by a lung infection or panic attack, for example, so it is important to have any sudden pain checked.

Arrhythmia is the word for when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly with skipped beats. It can feel frightening, and depending on the type it can be dangerous, but in most cases arrhythmia is not serious and can be treated. It is very common, especially in older adults.

Heart valve problems can happen in any one of the the heart's four valves that keep blood flowing where it needs to go. Babies can be born with problems in their heart valves, or valves can be damaged by infections. The valves can stiffen and become less mobile, or they can stop closing properly and 'leak' when the heart beats. Valve problems can usually be repaired surgically.

cardiac procedures	198
doctor visit	26
hospital care	88
inpatient care	88
minimally invasive procedures	13
nuclear scan	12
stress testing	43
ultrasound (sonogram)	154

**Gender**
Male	378
Female	312

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	613
Black	21
Hispanic	32
Asian	11
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	236
From 75 to 84	206
85 and over	109
Less than 65	139

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	71
Depression	34
Chronic Kidney Disease	41
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	23
Diabetes	41
Dementia	14
Cancer	13

cardiac procedures	272
doctor visit	62
hospital care	20
inpatient care	20
nuclear scan	22
stress testing	91
ultrasound (sonogram)	198

**Gender**
Male	378
Female	354

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	655
Black	21
Hispanic	44
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	270
From 75 to 84	193
85 and over	109
Less than 65	160

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	66
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	46
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	31
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	44
Dementia	16
Cancer	14

cardiac procedures	316
doctor visit	203
hospital care	120
inpatient care	120
nuclear scan	24
stress testing	60
ultrasound (sonogram)	255

**Gender**
Male	1354
Female	1328

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	2316
Black	80
Hispanic	194
Asian	48
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	954
From 75 to 84	678
85 and over	490
Less than 65	560

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	13
Ischemic Heart Disease	66
Depression	38
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	22
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	43
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	42
Dementia	18
Cancer	15

cardiac procedures	340
doctor visit	226
hospital care	146
inpatient care	146
nuclear scan	25
stress testing	80
ultrasound (sonogram)	276

**Gender**
Male	570
Female	597

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1001
Black	30
Hispanic	91
Asian	0
Other	25
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	412
From 75 to 84	313
85 and over	194
Less than 65	248

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	72
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	65
Depression	38
Chronic Kidney Disease	50
Asthma	29
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	44
Dementia	19
Cancer	14

cardiac procedures	299
doctor visit	234
hospital care	116
inpatient care	116
minimally invasive procedures	13
nuclear scan	21
stress testing	60
ultrasound (sonogram)	254

**Gender**
Male	682
Female	562

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1069
Black	35
Hispanic	92
Asian	0
Other	31
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	428
From 75 to 84	314
85 and over	229
Less than 65	273

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	63
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	66
Depression	39
Chronic Kidney Disease	53
Asthma	12
Osteoperosis	8
Atrial Fibrilation	33
Heart Failure	44
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	40
Dementia	20
Cancer	16

cardiac procedures	270
doctor visit	247
hospital care	146
inpatient care	146
minimally invasive procedures	13
nuclear scan	12
stress testing	46
ultrasound (sonogram)	236

**Gender**
Male	932
Female	898

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1571
Black	54
Hispanic	132
Asian	0
Other	51
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	664
From 75 to 84	474
85 and over	338
Less than 65	354

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	69
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	64
Depression	36
Chronic Kidney Disease	52
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	32
Heart Failure	42
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	28
Diabetes	38
Dementia	21
Cancer	14

cardiac procedures	357
doctor visit	283
hospital care	85
inpatient care	85
minimally invasive procedures	10
nuclear scan	25
stress testing	76
ultrasound (sonogram)	300

**Gender**
Male	837
Female	811

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1422
Black	48
Hispanic	105
Asian	21
Other	52
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	615
From 75 to 84	468
85 and over	240
Less than 65	325

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	11
Ischemic Heart Disease	61
Depression	39
Chronic Kidney Disease	54
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	28
Heart Failure	41
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	25
Diabetes	40
Dementia	21
Cancer	13

cardiac procedures	254
doctor visit	229
hospital care	72
inpatient care	72
nuclear scan	16
stress testing	46
ultrasound (sonogram)	218

**Gender**
Male	594
Female	563

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1003
Black	40
Hispanic	66
Asian	14
Other	34
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	427
From 75 to 84	367
85 and over	172
Less than 65	191

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	73
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	67
Depression	39
Chronic Kidney Disease	59
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	30
Heart Failure	46
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	27
Diabetes	42
Dementia	23
Cancer	13

cardiac procedures	653
doctor visit	595
hospital care	118
inpatient care	118
nuclear scan	32
stress testing	108
ultrasound (sonogram)	578

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD treated as a nuclear medicine specialist in Worcester, MA were cardiac procedures, ultrasound (sonogram), hospital care and inpatient care.

cardiac procedures	329
doctor visit	235
hospital care	101
inpatient care	101
minimally invasive procedures	12
nuclear scan	21
stress testing	68
ultrasound (sonogram)	275

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD.

**Gender**
Female	542
Male	572

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	32
Asian / Pacific Islander	9
Non-Hispanic White	965
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	75
Other	20

**Age**
85 and over	188
75 to 84	301
Less than 65	225
65 to 74	400

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	52
Depression	29
Chronic Kidney Disease	40
Asthma	13
Osteoporosis	7
Heart Failure	34
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	20
Diabetes	33
Atrial Fibrillation	24
Dementia	15
Cancer	11

Education & Training

Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD graduated from University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2006. She completed residency at UMass Memorial Medical Center. She is certified by the Cardiovascular Disease Internal Medicine and has a state license in Massachusetts.

Medical School: University of Massachusetts Medical School (2006)

Residency: UMass Memorial Medical Center

Board Certification: Cardiovascular Disease Internal Medicine

Licensed In: Massachusetts

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UMass Memorial Medical Center

UMass Memorial Health

UMASS MEMORIAL MEDICAL GROUP INC

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Brigid Carlson, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
ABIOMED	$695 Impella $695
IMPULSE DYNAMICS (USA) INC.	$30 OPTIMIZER $30

**Types of Payments**
Travel and Lodging	$609
Food and Beverage	$116

Biography

Dr. Brigid Carlson's areas of specialization are adult cardiology and nuclear cardiology; she sees patients in Worcester, MA and Shrewsbury, MA. Her areas of expertise include the following: consultative cardiology, pain, and heart failure. She studied medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Carlson trained at UMass Memorial Medical Center for her residency. She is affiliated with UMass Memorial Medical Center. Her practice in Shrewsbury, MA is open to new patients as reported by Doctor.com.