Hill Country Health
Sometimes the detours in life’s journey take us to where we really want to be. Dr. Melucci is a good example. It took ten years of work as an internist before he realized that, for him, the most fascinating part of practicing medicine was diagnosing and treating illnesses of the heart. “I happened to take a medicine review course,” relates Dr. Melucci, “and there was an echocardiographer there. I found it so fascinating…that single thing made me decide to go back and do a cardiology fellowship.” After completing the fellowship in Philadelphia, Dr. Melucci moved to San Antonio, one of his favorite cities, to fulfill his commitment to the Air Force as a staff cardiologist at Lackland AFB. After obtaining his board certification in cardiology and completing his commitment with the Air Force, Dr. Melucci eagerly began practicing cardiology in Kerrville. The choice was no surprise since Dr. Melucci and his wife had dreamed of living in the Hill Country since they first became familiar with the area.

Discovering a Clear Path to Wellness
Dr. Melucci’s enthusiasm for his chosen profession is very evident. “The good thing about cardiology is that it is a field where you can make a difference,” he explains. “Transesophageal echos and heart catheterizations provide instant answers. You have a specific question, you do the test, you have an answer and you know exactly what to do after that. If you can see your path clearly, it is very rewarding for you and the patient. Yet despite all the tools available to cardiologists to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease, I think the most important advances in the field of cardiology have been in preventive care. Primary prevention with lipid lowering agents, exercise and nutrition makes the biggest difference.”

Even more exciting to Dr. Melucci are the prospects for cardiology in the future. “The biggest break is going to be brought about by genetic engineering,” he predicts. “I am sure within the next 50 years a lot will be developed with gene therapy. If developments continue in this area, you will be able to grab one healthy cell and grow a whole new heart or new vessels. Working with living, healthy tissue is better than putting in mechanical devices.”

Patients (and Families) Make the Difference
Dr. Melucci notes that the patients he treats now are much more educated than in the past. They want to understand more about their illness and treatment. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, I’ll take this pill and feel better in ten days,’” remarks Dr. Melucci, and he is happy with the change. “I think it is good for the patient to be an informed consumer.” There was a time when family members were not welcome in the room with the patient. Thankfully, the practice of medicine has changed, and Dr. Melucci definitely prefers to have family members actively involved. He knows they will often pick up important information that the patient does not hear or won’t remember due to feeling sick and anxious. In addition, Dr. Melucci believes that informed family members can make a vital difference when they act as a support team for patients who need to make major lifestyle changes as a result of their cardiovascular disease.