Looking for new Cardiologist

Dr. Anguizola's office is at Mae Lewis Hospital. He became my cardiologist when I was admitted to Regional Hospital in David on February 23 of this year. He is now my regular cardiologist.

I have great respect for Dr. Anguizola - I think he is an excellent cardiologist. His office phone number is 774-2453 - but his staff speaks only Spanish.

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For those who are interested in my experience related to my mild heart attack in February of this year, here is my story...

I am a 74 y/o expat who moved here from Sonoma County in Northern California in early 2012. I am a permanent legal resident of Panama, and have an E-Cedula (Panama's national ID card for non-citizen foreigners). I have have no medical insurance in Panama. My Medicare Supplement plan includes a $2,500 deductible, and I would have to go to Florida or elsewhere in the U.S. to use it.

I suffered a mild heart attack on February while carrying my stuff in to the BCP Center for the Tuesday Morning Market. I became weak and dizzy, so I took everything back out to my car, and drove to Dr. Chen's office. Dr. Gomez quickly had me lie down on the patient bed, ran an EKG, determined that I was having a cardiac "ischemic event" - reduced blood flow to the heart muscles. That visit cost $120. Dr.Gomez called the 911 ambulance (my choice - minimal equipment, but a free ride). They arrived soon, took me to the Regional Hospital in David. (A better-equipped private ambulance would cost $250.)

After another EKG in the "coronaria" (coronary emergency unit), it was determined that my condition was not that serious, so I was on a bed in the very crowded coronary emergency area for about 12 hours. (A new, bigger hospital is being built on the property, which will be a big help with the capacity problem.)

Although the coronary emergency doctor at first thought I might go home the next day, it was later decided to admit me. I was moved upstairs to a six-bed coronary care room and confined to bed with not even bathroom privileges. I was hooked up to a modern, high-tech heart monitoring machine. After three days, I was disconnected from the heart monitor, and moved to a regular room on the cardio floor, still confined to bed. On the 5th day, I was allowed to get out of bed and discharged after my sixth day. Hospital cost for six days - just under $900.

Dr. Anguizola's discharge orders for me included 30 days of not driving, resting at home, and not doing any kind of exercise of work. My 30-day supply of 7 different cardiac medications cost $44 at the regional hospital pharmacy.

My first follow-up appointment with Dr. Anguizola at his Mae Lewis Hospital office including an EKG and 1/2 hour consultation cost $75. Future appointments at 3-month intervals for now will be $50 or $60, and getting prescription renewals without seeing him costs $10.

My next appointment was for an echocardiogram (ultrasound), which cost $175, and no issues were found.

A week later, my last follow-up appointment included a stress test (EKG while walking on a treadmill) and some irregularities were found. Dr. Anguizola recommended that I have an angiogram done. I was quoted approximately $4,000 for an angiogram here in David, and $15,000 for an angioplasty if necessary. He also said that I could probably get by with longer-tern medications, which I am doing for now.

I am pretty much back to normal, and very impressed with the medical system and the medical professionals here in Chiriqui. I am currently taking cardio aspirin ($7 for 30 tabs at Farmicia Revilla, $8 for 1,000 tabs via Amazon, which is $7 per month vs about $5 per year.) My very low dose statin (Vastatina) is available at the public clinic pharmacy for $1.20 per month, and I had to show my cedula to get it. (I don't know if having a cedula is a requirement.) However, they don't carry my angina med, which is $15 per month at Farmacia Revilla. My drug costs will be about $18 per month after I get the cardio-aspirin from Amazon.

I am the first I know of in my family to have a heart attack, but the care and medical services here in Chiriqui are excellent, and I appreciate what they offer for such a reasonable cost.

Replies

Harry Halbert May 7, 2016 at 12:59pm

Hi Dee. I had a Quadruple By-pass in 2006 in the USA. We have been here a little over five years, and Dr. Angazola has been my Cardiologist for the entire time. I am very pleased with him, and see him every four months.
David van Harn May 7, 2016 at 12:20pm

Dr. Anguizola's office is at Mae Lewis Hospital. He became my cardiologist when I was admitted to Regional Hospital in David on February 23 of this year. He is now my regular cardiologist.

I have great respect for Dr. Anguizola - I think he is an excellent cardiologist. His office phone number is 774-2453 - but his staff speaks only Spanish.

---------

For those who are interested in my experience related to my mild heart attack in February of this year, here is my story...

I am a 74 y/o expat who moved here from Sonoma County in Northern California in early 2012. I am a permanent legal resident of Panama, and have an E-Cedula (Panama's national ID card for non-citizen foreigners). I have have no medical insurance in Panama. My Medicare Supplement plan includes a $2,500 deductible, and I would have to go to Florida or elsewhere in the U.S. to use it.

I suffered a mild heart attack on February while carrying my stuff in to the BCP Center for the Tuesday Morning Market. I became weak and dizzy, so I took everything back out to my car, and drove to Dr. Chen's office. Dr. Gomez quickly had me lie down on the patient bed, ran an EKG, determined that I was having a cardiac "ischemic event" - reduced blood flow to the heart muscles. That visit cost $120. Dr.Gomez called the 911 ambulance (my choice - minimal equipment, but a free ride). They arrived soon, took me to the Regional Hospital in David. (A better-equipped private ambulance would cost $250.)

After another EKG in the "coronaria" (coronary emergency unit), it was determined that my condition was not that serious, so I was on a bed in the very crowded coronary emergency area for about 12 hours. (A new, bigger hospital is being built on the property, which will be a big help with the capacity problem.)

Although the coronary emergency doctor at first thought I might go home the next day, it was later decided to admit me. I was moved upstairs to a six-bed coronary care room and confined to bed with not even bathroom privileges. I was hooked up to a modern, high-tech heart monitoring machine. After three days, I was disconnected from the heart monitor, and moved to a regular room on the cardio floor, still confined to bed. On the 5th day, I was allowed to get out of bed and discharged after my sixth day. Hospital cost for six days - just under $900.

Dr. Anguizola's discharge orders for me included 30 days of not driving, resting at home, and not doing any kind of exercise of work. My 30-day supply of 7 different cardiac medications cost $44 at the regional hospital pharmacy.

My first follow-up appointment with Dr. Anguizola at his Mae Lewis Hospital office including an EKG and 1/2 hour consultation cost $75. Future appointments at 3-month intervals for now will be $50 or $60, and getting prescription renewals without seeing him costs $10.

My next appointment was for an echocardiogram (ultrasound), which cost $175, and no issues were found.

A week later, my last follow-up appointment included a stress test (EKG while walking on a treadmill) and some irregularities were found. Dr. Anguizola recommended that I have an angiogram done. I was quoted approximately $4,000 for an angiogram here in David, and $15,000 for an angioplasty if necessary. He also said that I could probably get by with longer-tern medications, which I am doing for now.

I am pretty much back to normal, and very impressed with the medical system and the medical professionals here in Chiriqui. I am currently taking cardio aspirin ($7 for 30 tabs at Farmicia Revilla, $8 for 1,000 tabs via Amazon, which is $7 per month vs about $5 per year.) My very low dose statin (Vastatina) is available at the public clinic pharmacy for $1.20 per month, and I had to show my cedula to get it. (I don't know if having a cedula is a requirement.) However, they don't carry my angina med, which is $15 per month at Farmacia Revilla. My drug costs will be about $18 per month after I get the cardio-aspirin from Amazon.

I am the first I know of in my family to have a heart attack, but the care and medical services here in Chiriqui are excellent, and I appreciate what they offer for such a reasonable cost.

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Looking for new Cardiologist

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