Dr. James M. Brennan

I am an interventional cardiologist and researcher who has been at Duke for nearly 20 years. I enjoy being at Duke because of the “family” I get to work with every day. When we are able to make a patient feel better through teamwork; it’s a great feeling. I chose cardiology as my specialty because of the chance to make a difference in someone’s life in real time. When someone is having a heart attack, they are relying on you to come to their aid quickly. At that moment, I get to apply science to save a life, while learning more about what we can do to help improve people’s lives in the future. In that way, medicine also gives me the chance to learn from my patients and apply what I find to benefit the greater good. I find that whole process is exciting. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my school-aged children. Dr. Patel is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Stable Angina. His top areas of expertise are Peripheral Artery Disease, Atherosclerosis, Coronary Heart Disease, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), and Angioplasty.

"My parents are from rural southwest Virginia. In 1949, they relocated to California for my father’s work as an academic researcher with NACA, later NASA. My brothers and I pursued scientific degrees. However, I felt that I could contribute more to our society by pursuing a technically-oriented career in cardiovascular medicine back in the rural South. Thus, in 1993, I brought stent technology to rural North Carolina. Most of my career has been dedicated to providing safe, thoughtful care in applying that technology. I also learned early on that good outcomes required simultaneous good general cardiovascular care. Now in my senior years, I practice general cardiovascular medicine, focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and education. The treatment mostly consists of advising on medications, diet, exercise, and referral for mechanical interventions when needed. In practice, I prefer the ""appropriate-but-least-intrusive action"" when pursuing optimal care.". Dr. Denardo is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Stable Angina. His top areas of expertise are Stable Angina, Metabolic Syndrome, Cardiomyopathy, Fainting, and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).

Benjamin Atkeson is a Cardiologist in Smithfield, North Carolina. Dr. Atkeson is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Stable Angina. His top areas of expertise are Angina, Arterial Tortuosity Syndrome, Atrial Fibrillation, Pacemaker Implantation, and Endoscopy. Dr. Atkeson is currently accepting new patients.