A cardiologist is a doctor who specializes in diseases of the heart such as congenital heart defects, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. These specialists should not to be confused with cardiac surgeons, who perform heart surgeries including transplants and by-pass surgeries.
There is currently a shortage of cardiologists in the United States. Industry experts suspect the shortage will only worsen to criticial levels as the baby boomer generation gets older,
and demand for these specialty doctors increases.
The heart is a complex system of muscle, valves, and blood vessels and arteries. Some heart diseases come from birth defects, while others are the result of a poor lifestyle, or aging. Proper diagnosis requires a careful investigation into the patient's medical and family history and lifestyle, because the symptoms for one condition can easily mimic others.
A heart arrhythmia, abnormal electrical activity in the organ, is one such symptom that could be the result of another cardiac issue that would require a specialist to thoroughly examine the patient to find the direct cause, and the correct treatment. Chest pains, fatigue, and shortness of breath are all symptoms of heart disease.
Coronary heart disease, the most common form of heart disease, develops when blood vessels become narrow, decreasing circulation of blood and oxygen to the heart. Without proper circulation, cardiac arrest is likely. Usually, noninvasive test such as chest x-rays, an MRI, or CT Scan can successfully diagnose the condition. These tests are performed by a cardiologist and provide imaging to see if there are blockages that are keeping the heart from pumping efficiently.
Other tests, like Echocardiograms, allow the specialist to listen to cardiac rhythms to find irregularities. Invasive testing, ones that require tissue samples, are also performed by the cardiologist. Once diagnosis is successful, the specialist might first treat the condition with lifestyle changes including weight control, exercise, and a healthy diet. Along with these lifestyle changes, the doctor will sometimes prescribe medications that can help treat this blockage, and restore the organ to normal efficiency. If it is determined that the blockage will require surgical intervention, the doctor will refer the patient to a cardiac surgeon, who will perform a by-pass surgery, install a stent, or a heart transplant.
Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart muscle disease, it is a chronic condition caused by an abnormal enlargement, thickening, or stiffening of the heart. There are several different diseases that fall under this umbrella of cardiac disease. There are a number of causes, with the most common being a direct result of the lack of blood flow to the heart, or coronary heart disease. Other causes include infection, drug use, genetics, and diabetes. Treatment options for this issue vary. When the cause and type of cardiomyopathy is identified, treatment is concentrated on healing the cause, whether it be diet, alcoholism, or too much stress. The doctor may prescribe medication to specifically treat the type of cardiomyopathy.
Behind the brain, the heart is the second-most vital organ in the human body, yet heart disease accounts for a quarter of all deaths in the United States. All cardiac diseases can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, and death. As the population ages, the demand for cardiologists will only increase. These doctors recommend prevention to avoid disease. This includes regular exercise and a healthy diet.
