Cardiology
Content
Description
Cardiology is a specialized branch of internal medicine that specializes in diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular system).
Cardiologists examine and monitor patients with various heart diseases such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, conditions after heart and blood vessel surgeries.
A cardiologist recommends a healthy lifestyle with regard to weakened heart capabilities, prescribes medications and prepares the patient for surgery (preoperative examination).
Specialized cardiology departments also perform heart catheterizations and implant pacemakers.
Facts
- Outpatient examination
- Examination lasts 30 minutes
Cardiology as a specialized field focuses on:
- Chest pain (angina pectoris)
- CAD – Coronary Artery Disease
- Cardiac arrhythmias, atrial and ventricular fibrillation, rhythm disorders
- Myocardial infarction (MI)
- High blood pressure (arterial hypertension)
- Congenital heart defects and heart valve diseases
- Inflammations: pericarditis, myocarditis
- Conditions after heart and blood vessel surgery (after heart bypass, valve surgery, stents and blood vessel bypasses)
- Patients with a pacemaker
The cardiologist will thoroughly examine the patient and take a medical history.
He/she will focus on fatigue and shortness of breath (how many stairs the patient can walk without getting out of breath), heart palpitations, and chest pain, weakness, and swelling of the limbs. It is important to talk about lifestyle, smoking, and bad habits.
Prepare a list of medications you are taking for the examination.
Examinations include:
- Measurement of blood pressure and pulse
- ECG (electrocardiogram)
- ECHO of the heart (echocardiography - ultrasound of the heart)
- Blood and urine collection
- Stress tests (ECG on a bicycle, 24-hour ECG or blood pressure measurement /Holter/)
