A healthy heart is essential to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with your heart, and sometimes the symptoms that something is wrong are not always obvious. A cardiologist is a health practitioner who specializes in diagnosing problems with the heart and surrounding arteries. What is invasive, non-invasive, and interventional Cardiologist?
Basics of Cardiology
Cardiology is a branch of medicine which deals the diagnosis, and care of the cardiovascular system. Since there are several facets of your heart’s function, the cardiologist has to reflect many variables when sorting what may be wrong with the heart. Some of these variables include your arteries, heart, or blood vessels.
To know about your overall heart health, your cardiologist will:
- Review your health history
- Examines and run tests for your blood pressure and blood vessels
- Examining your lung function
- Run tests like blood tests, X-rays, ECG as well as other specialized tests to determine the problem.
A cardiologist is not a surgeon. A cardiac surgeon is a different specialist who performs the actual physical heart surgery.
There are 3 primary types of cardiology: invasive, non-invasive, and interventional.
What Is Invasive Cardiology?
Invasive cardiology practices open or minimal invasive surgery to classify or treat physical or electrical anomalies within the heart structure.
Common 2 types of invasive cardiology:
-
Angioplasty
Angioplasty is a process where a tiny balloon is inserted into your clogged vein which further helps in pushing the plate against the walls, allowing better blood flow.
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Stenting
Stenting is usually done in conjunction with angioplasty. A cardiac stent looks like a metal coil, in a smaller size which helps in holding and opening the clogged vein.
What Is Non-invasive Cardiology?
Non-invasive cardiology recognizes heart problems without using any fluids, instruments or needles inserting in the body.
The techniques include:
Nuclear cardiology
It includes various types of imaging which may use radioactive elements.
Echocardiography
Using ultrasound waves are used to create images of the heart, and surrounding structures in order to identify how well the heart pumps blood, infections, and structural abnormalities.
Heart monitors
Heart monitors are basically one kind of tape recorders for your heart which monitors the electrical activity over a set amount of time.
CT scans
CT scans develop images which your then cardiologist evaluate for further heart and atherosclerosis
What Is Interventional Cardiology?
It is a non-surgical possibility which uses a catheter to repair damaged or weakened vessels, narrowed arteries, or other affected parts of the heart structure.
Heart conditions treated by interventional cardiology:
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart valve disease
- Peripheral vascular disease
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FAQs
1. What is the difference between invasive, non-invasive, and interventional cardiology?
- Invasive cardiology involves using surgical methods like angioplasty or stenting to treat heart issues.
- Non-invasive cardiology diagnoses heart conditions through external tests like echocardiograms and CT scans without entering the body.
- Interventional cardiology is a minimally invasive approach using catheters to treat conditions such as coronary artery disease without surgery.
2. What are common procedures performed in invasive cardiology?
Two common procedures include:
- Angioplasty, where a small balloon is inserted to open clogged arteries.
- Stenting, where a metal coil is placed to keep arteries open and improve blood flow.
3. How does non-invasive cardiology detect heart problems?
Non-invasive cardiology uses tests like:
- Echocardiograms to assess heart structure and blood flow using ultrasound.
- Nuclear cardiology, which uses radioactive elements to create detailed images of the heart.
4. What conditions are treated through interventional cardiology?
Interventional cardiology is used to treat conditions such as:
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart valve disease
- Peripheral vascular disease by repairing or opening narrowed blood vessels without major surgery.
5. Why should I see a cardiologist, and how do they diagnose heart conditions?
A cardiologist specializes in diagnosing heart issues by reviewing your medical history, conducting physical exams, and running tests like ECGs, X-rays, and blood tests. They provide insights on heart function and recommend the best course of treatment.
