Cardiologists diagnose and provide treatments for individuals with heart-related conditions. Many cardiovascular diseases are treatable and manageable with medications such as blood pressure drugs. Here are the basic tasks that a cardiologist performs:
Basics of Cardiology
A cardiologist is an expert in treating heart and blood vein diseases. The specialist also provides preventive treatment for heart diseases in people with a family history of heart attacks, peripheral vein disease, and stroke. This medical expert identifies the risks and causes of heart conditions before identifying the right treatment for the disease.
Duties of Cardiologists
A cardiologist conducts a thorough patient evaluation, which includes a detailed medical account and physical examination. The patient explains symptoms such as chest pains, difficulty breathing, and high blood pressure. A cardiologist may order tests such as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, CTs, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to detect the problem. The advanced diagnosis helps the specialist to offer medication and lifestyle exercises that help you to live healthier. If the patient requires cardiac catheterization, the specialist inserts a narrow tube into the blood veins of the leg and pushes it to the coronary arteries. This procedure helps the specialist to determine the heart condition and what treatment to administer.
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Blood Pressure Treatment
Measuring blood pressure helps to understand if the patient has underlying conditions. The pressure goes up due to exercise and excitement and goes down due to rest. Other reasons why blood pressure fluctuates include age and medications.
High blood pressure doesn’t usually exhibit any signs. Patients with high blood pressure may be at risk of heart, kidney, and brain damage. If high blood pressure goes untreated, it may cause a stroke, heart attack, transient ischemic attack, and heart failure. After diagnosis, the healthcare specialist recommends changes in lifestyle and diet if the blood pressure is higher than normal. The specialist also prescribes medication that should be taken as instructed. Medical specialists make follow-ups after medication to monitor the pressure and make any changes to medication that can help manage cardiovascular conditions.
Cholesterol Levels Assessment
Maintaining the right cholesterol levels is necessary to reduce the risk of heart disease. Too much fat in the blood can damage the artery wall and cause atherosclerotic plaque formation. Atherosclerosis leads to conditions such as heart disease, peripheral nerve damage, and brain damage. A cardiologist checks the total cholesterol, which is the total amount of fat flowing in the blood. A specialist checks the LDL (low-density lipoprotein), which is the bad fat that leads to cardiac attacks and strokes. The assessment also includes looking at HDL (high-density lipoprotein), which is the good cholesterol that aids in clearing the unnecessary fat from your body.
Cardiac Arrest Treatment
Before the heart stops beating or beating faster to stop pumping blood, patients experience signs such as chest pain, vomiting, and breathlessness. Cardiac arrests are usually caused by arrhythmias or irregular heart pulses. Medications, infectious diseases, and extensive physical exercises can cause cardiac arrest. A specialist will help treat and reverse cardiac arrest, especially when the treatment needs to start immediately to increase the patient’s chances of survival.
Schedule a Visit With Your Cardiologist
A cardiology practice involves extensive heart care and preventive measures to verify optimal health. Specializations include treatment of electrical disorders, heart transplants, and radioactive cardiology. If you are worried about your heart health or have heart conditions in your family history, schedule a visit to a cardiologist today.
