Cardiology

Cardiology is a branch of internal medicine that deals with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of heart diseases. It covers a wide range of conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and congenital heart defects. Maintaining heart health is critical to overall well-being, as the heart plays a vital role in circulating oxygen-rich and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body.

A cardiologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and performs diagnostic tests and certain interventional procedures, such as cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, or the implantation of a pacemaker.

Cardiovascular diseases affect the heart, blood vessels, or both.

When should you visit a cardiologist and how can cardiovascular diseases be prevented?

If you are experiencingsymptoms of heart disease, the general practitioner can refer you to a cardiologist.

Symptoms that may indicate a heart problem include the following:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Chest pain
• Changes in heart rate, heart rhythm
• Elevated blood pressure
• Swelling in the legs

The followingare the most common heart diseases encountered in practice:

1. Coronary artery disease: This condition occurs when the arteries supplying the heart with blood become narrowed or blocked due to the buildup of plaque-forming fats. If left untreated, this can lead to chest pain, heart attack, and other complications.
2. Heart failure: Also known as congestive heart failure, this condition occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in the legs and ankles.
3. Arrhythmias: These are characterized by heart rhythm abnormality manifesting as palpitations, dizziness, or fainting. Common types of arrhythmias include atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
4. Congenital heart defects: These are structural abnormalities present at birth that affect the function of the heart. Examples include atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, and tetralogy of Fallot.

A patient may need to see a cardiologist even when asymptomatic, if they have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, if they smoke, if they have diabetes, or if they are starting a new workout program.

In addition to the above, heart conditions that a cardiologist can also help with include the following:

• High blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Hypertension
• Pericarditis

A cardiologist can advise on heart disease prevention. Preventing heart disease involves adopting a healthy lifestyle and managing risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and smoking. Key preventive measures include a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein. Regular exercise (brisk walking, swimming, or cycling) and regular monitoring of blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels are also essential. It is extremely important that active smokers should stop smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.

What does an examination by a cardiologist look like?

The cardiologist first reviews the patient’s medical history and performs a physical examination. The examination includes checking body weight, auscultating the heart and lungs, measuring blood pressure, and conducting additional tests.

In addition to the necessary laboratory blood tests, cardiologists may perform or refer the patient for the following examinations:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG): Records the electrical activity of the heart and indicates the presence of ischemia in parts of the heart with insufficient blood supply.
• Holter ECG: Records the heart rhythm while the patient exercises or performs regular everyday activities. Small metal electrodes are taped to the chest and connected with wires to a Holter monitor.
• Heart load test (cardiac stress test): Shows heart rhythm changes at rest and during exercise. It measures the performance and limitations of the heart.
• Echocardiography: An ultrasound examination of the heart that reveals whether all parts of the heart wall are sufficiently mobile and whether there are any defects in the heart valves. It can detect inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) and effusion around the heart (pericarditis).
• Computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography: A non-invasive procedure for testing the patency of the blood vessels of the heart.
• Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR): A non-invasive procedure for assessing the viability of the cardiac walls after a heart attack, in myocarditis, or the presence of thrombus masses.
• Cardiac catheterization: The insertion of a thin tube into a cardiac arterywhich enables the identification of the narrowing of the blood vessel at the site of the plaque, as well as the procedure performed to eliminate this narrowing.